Honour killing story

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Saadiya and Raid
Born: 1994, 1998
Murdered: October 3, 2021
Residence: Delmenhorst (Lower Saxony)
Origin: Iraq / Kurds / Yazidis
Children: 1 son, 1 daughter (10 and 11 years old)
Perpetrator: her husband Barzan H. (34 years old at the time of the crime)
On October 3, 2021, Barzan, an Iraqi kebab vendor, stabbed his wife Saadiya to death in their apartment. It is said that only the daughter prevented the father from completing his act.

Shortly before, Barzan had stabbed a 23-year-old waiter in a sports bar. The latter died immediately, the woman died 2 days later in the hospital.

The male victim is said to have had an affair with the woman and also to be from a different "caste" (which would not be allowed in Yezidism, his passport is Iraqi, his real name not yet known).

After the two misdeeds, the families go at each other. The press reports the following anthology: After the crime there were "tumultuous scenes involving emotional groups of people. The perpetrator was arrested at night in Bremen-Gröpelingen. The Kreiszeitung quotes relatives who said, "This was an honor killing."

Barzan had a 43-year-old helper, Sadam K., who drove him to the crime scenes and later helped him escape. The latter is also Iraqi and has also been arrested.

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:

Questions about honour killings

  • 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.

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