Honour killing story: Marina and an unborn child (2013)

Marina and an unborn child
born: 1976
stabbed: 1 July 2013
Residence: Marburg
Provenance: Victim: Croatia; Perpetrator: Serbia
Children: 3 and an unborn child
Perpetrator: her husband (32 years)

Marina is a Christian Croat. She has a seven year old child from a previous relationship and two children (2 & 3 years) from her marriage to Aco. He is a builder and Muslim Serb. The family first lives in Berlin, later in Marburg.

On July 1, 2013 Aco stabs his wife, who is again pregnant in the sixth week, 14 times in the throat. She bleeds to death. Aco calls the police.

In April 2014 he will be sentenced to 8 years imprisonment for manslaughter by the regional court of Marburg. According to the verdict, the murderous nature of the insidiousness could not be clearly demonstrated. Furthermore, the perpetrator was under tension on the day of the crime.

Marina and Aco are not the real names of those involved.

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.