Honor killing in Khorasan Razavi, Iran: two sisters murdered

Two unnamed woman
Ages: 50, 48
Murdered: July 25, 2024
Residence: Chenaran County, Khorasan Razavi
Origin: Iran
Perpetrator: Husband Hassan M.

A man in Chenaran County, Khorasan Razavi Province in northeastern Iran, has murdered his wife and sister-in-law. The motive for the crime has been declared as "defending honor."

On Wednesday, July 25, 2024, two women, aged 48 and 50, were killed in Chenaran County by multiple blows to the head with a wooden stick. According to the Khorasan newspaper, the killer, identified as Hassan M., contacted the Radkan Police Station in one of the villages around Chenaran on Tuesday, July 24, claiming that his wife had threatened him. The police officers, after visiting the location, asked him to leave the house. He returned home the next morning and, after killing his wife and sister-in-law, fled to Mashhad.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.