Increase in killings of women in Iran: 23 killed by male relatives

At least 23 women have been killed by their husbands or male relatives in Iran since the end of March this year, according to a report by Iran’s “reformist” news agency Etemad on Saturday.

Last year Etemad reported that in a period of two and a half months, from the end of March 2023 to the beginning of June 2023, at least ten women were killed by their male relatives as a result of domestic violence or so-called “honor violence”.

The number of such murders in Iran has more than doubled this year.

Tahereh Taleghani, an Islamic expert said Etemad that she saw the lack of laws protecting women in Iran as one of the reasons for these murders.

Taleghani added that “a society suffering from various crises, problems and problems unconsciously tends to tension and violence. This tension and violence extends into families.”

She highlighted the ongoing crises facing women and girls in Iran, highlighting the insecurity they experience both on the streets and at home. She stressed: “Violence at home leaves women feeling helpless as neither the law nor the men in their families respect their rights.”

Details of the murders and motives

have critics highlighted Iran’s Islamic legal system and deep-rooted patriarchal culture and tradition are considered contributing factors to the increase in such killings. Others have attributed this to the cause of “honor killings” in the past fanatical beliefs.

Etemad cited dissatisfaction with the way of cooking, rejected marriage proposals, refusal of sex, divorce requests, family disputes and violence in the name of honor as various motives for these murders.

Among the women killed was a 21-year-old girl who was killed by her father for “honor” reasons on March 29 in one of the border villages of the city of Abadan.

In Ahvaz on April 7, a 27-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her brothers, also with “honorable” motives. This young woman’s brothers killed her in front of her husband and also injured him when he tried to intervene.

On May 4, a man in Mashhad killed his wife for “honor reasons” and stabbed the woman’s 16-year-old sister and brother. The victim’s sister is still in a coma.

On May 1, a young woman named Shahin Govili died of serious injuries at Kausar Hospital after her husband set her on fire.

On May 3, an Afghan woman who was six months pregnant was killed by her husband in Mashhad because, according to her husband’s confession, she was “disobedient.”

In Tabriz, one of the family’s daughters attempted suicide twice because she feared that her father would not only kill her, but also her mother.

In one of the murders in Tehran, the father of the family killed his own son along with his wife.

Prevalence of “honor killings”.

A number of the reported murders were linked to ambitious motives. Historically, some provinces in Iran have had higher rates of such forms of violence against women.

During her interview with Etemad, Taleghani pointed out the higher prevalence of honor killings in certain provinces compared to other provinces, attributing this to a lack of modernization in these regions.

Regarding honor killings, Taleghani stated that one of the causes of honor killings in Iran is child marriage, adding that “honor killings are due to ineffective laws or the absence of laws to protect women.”

“Women MPs in Parliament should also understand that some laws in the country oppress women and should be changed,” she added.

According to Article 630 of the Islamic Penal Code, a man who catches his wife in consensual adultery is allowed to kill both parties without the threat of publication. This law only applies to women. Added to this is the killing of a child by its father or paternal grandfather freed from the Qesas phrase (retaliation).

In this context, Taleghani argued that “we do not have a word called ‘honor’ in the Quran” and that Iran’s Islamic penal code “is ineffective and does not contribute to solving today’s problems.”

According to the human rights organization Hengaw“At least 50 cases of femicide have been recorded in various cities in Iran since the beginning of 2024, with 10 of these cases, representing 20%, classified as honor killings.”

Additionally, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports reported 40 cases of honor killings in the Iranian calendar year that began in mid-March 2023.

Iranian Kurdish Women’s Rights Organization (IKWRO) based in the United Kingdom claims that it is imperative to understand the specific characteristics of “honor” abuse and “not to confuse it with other forms of violence against women and girls, such as domestic violence”, and warns that this “the ability to Protecting people at risk can be dangerously undermined.” “.