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January 28, 2025

The Role of the Government in the Sequence of Honor Killings in Iran / Elaheh Amani

Is “honor killing” on the rise in the world and in Iran?

With a brief review, we find that in Iran and other Western Asian countries (Middle East) and South Asian countries, news of honor killings is also the top headline on websites and newspapers.

Human rights groups say that every year, around a thousand women lose their lives in honor killings in Pakistan, where forced marriages are common in conservative rural areas.

In Iraq, dozens of protesters gathered together to stand against the honor killing of Tibah Ali, a YouTube star who was reportedly suffocated by her father in January of this year.

“Sudanese fighters are demanding action after a disturbing increase in honor killings. Reported deaths in the span of one year have more than doubled, and women are being attacked by their own male relatives for apparently talking to men on their cell phones.”

In India, a father who found his teenage daughter with a man, cut off his head with an axe and then took it to the local police station in northern Uttar Pradesh.

“The father of two sisters who were killed in honor killings in Pakistan, has been arrested in Spain. He is accused of involvement in the death of 23-year-old Anisa Abbas and her younger sister Aruj, 21. These sisters were tortured and shot last year in the Gujrat district of Punjab province for refusing to help their husbands travel to Spain. According to Spanish media reports, they were forced to marry their cousins in 2021. During a trip to Pakistan last year, their relatives asked them to help their husbands migrate to Spain. However, according to reports, the sisters, who had been living in this European country for several years, both refused and requested a divorce.”

Official and confirmed statistics in the country’s official media state that at least 165 cases of honor killing have been carried out in Iran in the past two years; meaning on average, every four days, a woman has been murdered by a male family member in different parts of the country.

These leads, along with dozens of other news, indicate that on the brink of the twenty-first quarter century, the most severe form of violence against women, or in other words, the “execution” of women and girls by the order of their fathers, brothers, husbands, ex-husbands, and other relatives who issue the death sentence to preserve “honor”, not only continues but may also be growing…

A new report from the United Nations, recently published, shows that in the past decade there has been no improvement in levels of mental attitudes, beliefs, and prejudices towards women; to the extent that almost 9 out of 10 men and women around the world still hold these biases. One of the shocking findings in this report regarding violence against women and girls is that 25% still believe that it is justified for a man to hit his wife, and despite the positive trend in the spread of concepts that include the definition of gender-based violence in the past decade, we are still far from a future where eliminating violence against women is embraced by the collective wisdom and global will. (2).

Without a doubt, femicide – which is defined as intentional killing with motives related to gender – is not limited to honor killings. In North America and Europe, statistics on femicide or gender-related killings are alarming. In England, every three days a woman is killed by a former or current male partner. In America, three women are killed every day and data from the European Union shows that femicide caused the deaths of 400 women in Poland, 117 women in Germany, and 102 women in Italy in 2020. It should also be noted that the laws treat these men with much more leniency compared to women who commit murder in self-defense against violence and to save their own lives.

Sexual violence is the most savage and extreme symbol of violence against women and girls, which takes various forms and has a widespread presence around the world. Gender-based violence is caused by gender stereotypes, discrimination against women and girls, unequal power relations between men and women, or harmful and restrictive social norms. Despite decades of work by women’s rights organizations and increased awareness and action by various countries to address restrictive laws, the available evidence shows that progress in stopping such deeply-rooted violence has been insufficient.

Violence against women is the result of gender inequalities deeply rooted in the power dynamics of the patriarchal system. This violence, both in the home and in society, is perpetuated by men who are defenders of the patriarchal system and reproduce it. Violence is also imposed on half of society in economic, political, social, and cultural spheres by those in positions of power. Authoritarian, oppressive, and undemocratic governments respond to women and men who advocate for changes and transformations to end sexual and gender-based violence with imprisonment and torture, as they fight for women’s lives and freedom.

The government’s authority in the fight against violence against women is of vital importance. Governments play a central role in addressing and combating violence against women, and are responsible for protecting the rights and security of all citizens, including women, as a top priority. Some key aspects of the role of governments in the fight against violence against women can be summarized as follows:

Legislation

Governments must establish strong laws that criminalize all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, honor killings, human trafficking, physical, psychological, economic, social, and cultural abuse. These laws must be comprehensive and sensitive to gender and sexuality issues, and provide sufficient support for victims.

Implementation of the law.

Their governments are responsible for ensuring that law enforcement agencies are sensitively and effectively trained to handle cases of violence against women, and that methods of research and comprehensive approaches are taught to collect evidence and trends of major forms of violence (including in the digital space) and periodically review mechanisms for effective implementation of laws.

Access to justice.

Governments must strive to ensure that women have access to justice and that the legal system is not biased against them. This may require the establishment of specialized courts or the provision of legal aid services for women who cannot afford legal representation.

Support services.

Governments should provide support services for survivors of violence, including help lines, shelters, counseling, and rehabilitation programs, and ensure their financial security. These services are essential for helping survivors of violence rebuild their lives.

Education, awareness, and cultural development.

Government initiatives should focus on increasing awareness and promoting education in the public sphere and media about violence against women and gender equality through educational programs in schools and communities. This should undoubtedly challenge stereotypes, attitudes, and inhibiting mental beliefs about gender equality and respect for women’s and girls’ human rights, and put an end to the cycle of violence.

Empowerment

Governments should support women empowerment programs to strengthen their economic and social independence and reduce their vulnerability to violence and abuse.

International collaboration.

Collaboration with international organizations and neighboring countries can help address transnational issues related to violence against women.

Gathering and researching data.

Governments should collect accurate and comprehensive data on violence against women in order to better understand the extent, geography, and various forms of violence and identify areas that require targeted interventions.

Involving men and boys.

Governments should use creative methods and effective policies from other countries’ experiences to encourage men and boys to fight against violence against women. Basic education on healthy sexual relationships can also have a significant impact on reducing violence.

Monitoring and evaluation.

Governments must regularly monitor the effectiveness of their policies and programs in combating violence against women and implement necessary mechanisms to improve outcomes.

Fighting against violence against women and honor killings is a collective responsibility that includes not only governments, but also civil society organizations, members of society, and individuals. In countries where there is a space for civil society activities, human rights, women’s rights, and sexual and gender minorities organizations can effectively assist governments in reducing and eliminating sexual and gender-based violence. In the case of sexual and gender-based violence, one of the growing trends in the world is the growth of the LGBTQ community. Research and literature in this area show that since unequal power relations are the underlying infrastructure of sexual and gender-based violence, violence also exists in such relationships, but the extent and forms may vary. An interesting point is related to the results of an “Arab Barometer” survey (regarding whether religion is losing its place in Arab countries or not) which also asked about honor killings and homosexuality. In Algeria, 27%, Morocco 25%, Sudan 14%, Jordan 21%, Tunisia 8%, Lebanon

The following trends in a global study on sexual homicides are shown:

1- Women and girls are most likely killed by their closest family members. In 2021, approximately 45,000 women and girls have been killed by their relatives, including fathers, mothers, uncles, and brothers, around the world. This means that on average, more than five women or girls are killed every hour by a family member. Current or former partners are also among the top perpetrators of gender-based violence. On average, 65% of all female homicides are committed by intimate partners and family members.

2- Despite the fact that the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993 recognized violence against women as a violation of human rights and appointed a special rapporteur on violence against women in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, sexual and gender-based violence has remained a persistent issue and has been brought to the forefront of global goals. Murders related to intimate partners and family have remained relatively constant over time and have seen a significant increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls, femicide is a problem that affects every country and region around the world. In 2021, Asia reported the highest number of female and spousal murders with approximately 17,800 victims. This was followed by 17,200 women in Africa, 7,500 in the Americas, 2,500 in Europe, and 300 in Oceania. It is important to note that the actual number of femicides is much higher. While the statistics

3- Women and girls who have been marginalized, along with racial, ethnic, gender, refugee, and immigrant minorities, and other groups in vulnerable situations, are facing even greater risks.

There are several significant limitations in data and information regarding sexual and gender-based killings of marginalized groups. For example, the women’s rights organization MundoSur analyzes data portals from 12 Latin American countries and only one country collects information on whether the victim was pregnant, two countries collect victim identity information, and three countries have recorded whether the victim was a migrant or not. Despite limited data, evidence from Canada and Australia shows that indigenous women are disproportionately affected by gender-based killings. The rate of female homicides among indigenous people in Canada was five times higher than non-indigenous women and girls in 2021.

4- The experiences of countries can be instructive. For example, the experience of South Africa shows that significant and sustainable reduction in gender-based violence can be achieved through comprehensive laws and policies aimed at preventing violence against women, gun control laws, and the activities of women’s rights and civil society organizations in the community.

In order to ensure the availability of disaggregated and comprehensive data for proactive measures and policies to overcome current limitations in data collection, UNODC and UN Women have recently presented a statistical framework for gender-related killings of women and girls, which was endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission in March 2022. While this statistical framework is crucial for statistical data and understanding of intentional killings of women based on gender, it is not inclusive and complete for honor killings.

Iran.

Beyond the headlines in this year, including “Shocking Statistics of Honor Killings in This Year”, “Honor Killings Continue to Claim Victims in Iran”, and “One Honor Killing Every Four Days in Iran”, both honor killings and domestic violence have always been widespread in Iran by individuals other than family members. In recent years, the murder of 14-year-old Iranian teenager Romina Ashrafi by her father in Talesh, who killed her because she had eloped with her boyfriend due to her family’s opposition to their marriage, has deeply shaken the Iranian society both domestically and internationally. The media and social networks have shed light on the frequency of honor killings and intentional murders based on gender and sexuality. Romina was killed by her father with a sickle, and the police, instead of protecting the victim, handed her over to her father. The father, who was her murderer, was eventually sentenced to 9 years in prison. After consulting with his son-in-law, who is

The consecutive murders and planned killing of Romina Ashrafi (14 years old) by her father, brought the news of the murders of Reyhaneh Ameri (22 years old) and Fatemeh Barahi (19 years old) to the media, and this sequence continues. In recent days, the news of the murder of Zeinab Iyavaz (15 years old) by her father in Piranshahr city due to preserving honor has been reflected in the media, while hundreds of other women, like Aileen (19 years old) who was attacked by two motorcyclists and killed on July 9th in Fadayian-e-Islam street, or two women whose mutilated bodies were recently found in Tehran, are happening in different parts of Iran. Nowadays, with the advancement of communication technology, it is not easy to cover up honor killings and femicides, just like the unmarked graves of women in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, where the

The experience of the past 44 years shows that these heinous murders, the bloody bodies of young women and children (girls under 18), and their stories that are buried in cemeteries, are faced with indifference from the legislative and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic. Some existing laws, such as Articles 301, 302, 309, and 630 of the Islamic Penal Code, as well as the right of fathers and grandfathers to ownership of their children and the dominance of men over the family, provide a platform for young women and girls to become victims of blind prejudice and lack of personal safety. According to the Islamic Penal Code, a father is not punished proportionately for the murder of his child.

With the review of overall statistics in the field of communication technology in 2023, we find that 77% of Iran’s population lives in cities, 69.83 million people have access to the internet, 49 million people are present in social media (54% of the population), and women make up 45.4% of these 49 million people. In such a situation and at a time when we are witnessing a cultural and social renaissance of “women’s liberation” and the rise of generations born in the past 44 years against power and authoritarianism in the household and society, imposing power relations and outdated customs is a challenge. Women and girls are caught in the midst of this major paradox; on one hand, they become familiar with the rights and freedoms of their same-sex counterparts in other societies through communication technology, and on the other hand, they do not accept forced marriages, child marriage, control, power, violence, and the reproduction of patriarchal relations imposed

The reality is that governments can play a crucial and effective role in reducing and eradicating sexual and gender-based violence. In Iran, due to the lack of political will from those in power, there are no strong laws against honor killings and various forms of violence, nor are there vital government support. Comprehensive research on the forms of violence and its geography has not been conducted in the past 44 years. The story of Mona Haidari, who was killed by her husband and her severed head was paraded in the streets, or 17-year-old Masoumeh from Ahvaz who was forced into marriage by her family in childhood and sought refuge at her father’s house from her husband’s torture, only to be killed by her father, are just a few examples of the complex situation. Hundreds of other cases – especially in border provinces and cities – are faced with indifference and lack of political will to protect the lives of these citizens, many of whom are children, in Iran.

Razvan Moghadam, the spokesperson for the “Stop Honor Killings” campaign, which was formed by a group of Iranian women’s rights and gender equality activists after the murder of Romina Ashrafi, has written in an English article, based on his research, which is published on the campaign’s website, that during the years 2000-2021, “the highest number of murders have occurred in Tehran province, but compared to the population of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, West Azerbaijan, Razavi Khorasan, East Azerbaijan, Ilam, Fars, and Alborz provinces, they have had the highest number of honor killings. This is while Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province and Qazvin province have had the lowest number of honor killings. Iranian women are not safe outside the country either, as six cases of honor killings of Iranian women by their spouses have been reported.” (5).

Until we split open the sky and create a new plan.

Notes:

1- Lotfi, Maryam, a woman who washes every four days.

Eastern Network

“July 14th, 1402.”

2- The new report by the United Nations on chronic discrimination against women in the past decade.

“United Nations website.”

June 12, 2023.

3- Snakes, lions, and the Arab world accept honor killings more than homosexuality.

Weekly Metro.

June 24, 2019.

4- Statistics derived from .

Data Reportal website.

This is…

5- Moghadam, Rezvan, An Overview of Honor Killings – 1220 Cases in 20 Years.

“Stop Honor Killings Campaign website.”

July 30, 2022.

Created By: Elahe Amani
July 23, 2023

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