Honour killing story: Yusra (Yüsra) Sukaya (2013)

Yusra (Yüsra) Sukaya
born: 1982
strangled: 8 March 2013
Residence: Düsseldorf
Origin: Turkey / Kurds
Children: 3
Perpetrator: her husband Mehmet Sukaya (32 years)

Yusra is (allegedly already as a young girl) forced to marry her cousin Mehmet in Turkey and comes to Germany. Later the couple has three children.

Violence soon occurs. There are several reports, including attacks with knife and gun. Yusra flees to a women's shelter. However, she repeatedly gives in to family pressure. She comes back, withdraws the charges and has the restraining order for her violent husband lifted.
Mehmet's profession is indicated as Imam. He is said to have been a member of Islamic organizations in Germany.

On 8 March 2013, Mehmet strangled his 31-year-old wife. Then he fled with the children to his parents in Turkey. His mother is surprised that he came without his wife. He confesses the crime. The parents urge Mehmet to report to the Turkish police. They inform the German police who find Yusra's body.

Later it appears that the spouses were divorced or temporarily separated at the time of the crime. The Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor's Office issues a warrant for murder. If Turkey did not extradite the perpetrator to Germany, he would probably be tried in Turkey. The further course of the case is unknown. The children are at their grandmother's in Istanbul.

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.