Honour killing in Hamburg: 20-year-old student Viktoria beaten to death

Victoria L.
born: 2001
murdered: January 10, 2021
Residence: Hamburg
Origin: Victim: Ukraine; Perpetrator: Libya
Children: probably none
Perpetrator: Sharif (26 years old at the time of the crime)

Sharif comes to Hamburg from Libya in June 2016, later to Plauen (Saxony). However, he stays in Hamburg and stalks the young Ukrainian Victoria. She lives with her parents in Hamburg-Neuallermöh. A restraining order is in place against him.

On January 10, 2021, Sharif kills the young woman and hides the body in a bicycle basement. He calls the police from a kebab store, leads the emergency services to the house and then flees. After a massive manhunt, he is caught. It is possible that a second man was also arrested, but then released.

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.