Honor Killings. Men didn't you know you are evil? Well let's remind it!

**Fabrizio Napoleoni** · 14th-April-2012

The Horror of 'Honor Killings', Even in US | Human Rights Now - Amnesty International USA Blog
The Horror of ‘Honor Killings’, Even in US

Noor Almaleki was 20 years old and living in Pheonix when she and her friend, 43-year-old Amal Khalaf, were struck by a car driven by Noor’s father. While Amal survived, Noor later died, and her father, Faleh al-Maleki, was later convicted of killing his daughter.

The case of Noor Almaleki has drawn attention, most recently last weekend on CBS’s “48 Hours: Mystery” program, as a suspected case of a so-called “Honor Killing”—one committed here in the United States.
And yet, while the case of Noor Almaleki has made national headlines because it happened in Arizona, so-called “honor killings” happen around the world at an alarming rate, often with little press and no justice for the victim.
Women around the world suffer so-called “honor violence” at the hands of relatives, usually male, in an effort to reclaim family “honor.” If a woman or girl is accused or suspected of engaging in behavior that could taint her family’s status, she may face brutal retaliation from her relatives that often results in violent death.
So-called “honor” crime is rooted in a global culture of discrimination against women, and the deeply rooted belief that women are objects and commodities, not human beings entitled to dignity and rights equal to those of men. Women’s bodies, particularly, are considered the repositories of family honor, and under the control and responsibility of her family (especially her male relatives). And large sections of society share traditional conceptions of family honor and approve of “honor” killings to preserve that honor.
That’s the narrative that is used to justify these brutal attacks on women and girls, but here are the facts:

The UN estimates that around 5,000 women and girls are murdered each year in so-called “honor killings” by members of their families
“Honor” killings are widely reported in regions throughout the Middle East and South Asia, but these crimes against women occur in countries as varied as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Like other forms of violence against women, “honor” violence against women may be considered a form of torture, whether enacted by the state or by an individual.
While “honor” crime is committed predominantly against women and girls, “honor” crime is also on the rise against LGBT people, particularly gay men
In many countries, the punishment for “honor” crimes are inadequate or non-existent—laws either do not recognize “honor” crime or have insufficient sentencing for such crime. And in countries where laws have been passed to curb “honor” crime (for example, in Jordan), such laws often go un-enforced.
According to the Iranian and Kurdish Rights Organization, “Honor Killings are on the rise”, especially in Europe and the US.

Women in Lahore, Pakistan protest "honor" killings. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)

Make no mistake: there is no honor in violence against women, and no cultural, social, or religious belief is ever a valid reason to commit violence against women, or deprive anyone of their fundamental human rights.

The murder of women in the name of “honor” is a gender-specific form of discrimination and violence and should be regarded as part of a larger spectrum of violenceagainst women, as well as a serious human rights violation. Violence against women in a global epidemic, and it effects women in every country, at every level of society.
The continued coverage of the case of Noor Almaleki reminds us that women across the world—including our own country—are at risk of such types of gender-specific violence. But so, too, should countless attacks on women’s rights that are part of a culture of discrimination against women.
Any attack on women’s human rights threatens to reduce women to objects or devalue them as less than fully human, and as such, aids and abets in a global culture in which such horrific violence, as happened to Noor and as happens to countless women, is not only possible, but is all too common.
See our fact sheet about so-called “Honor Killings” and learn more about violence against women as a human rights issue and take action on behalf of women around the world.

**Marx** · 14th-April-2012

The dead girl's mother gleefully cackles as she is informed of her daughter's death. But it's ok, she's female so we're all good - just as long as we can continue to blame only men.

I commented:

Others have noted that honor killings are not limited to one religion and thus explains why AI (amnesty international) didn’t specify a particular religion…

Yet, honor killings cross both genders too, men and women are killed. And yet, AI happily ignores one gender.
So why are they so worried about offending a religion by directing blame upon that religion – but have no concern with blaming only one gender (while simultaneously ignoring victims of that same gender)?
The sexist hypocrisy is mind-blowing… but predictable.

**FloatyBoaty** · 14th-April-2012

Just so it's clear, what things might cause someone to be the victim of an honor killing?

If something is bad, the fear of actual death can be a strong motivator.

Another question similar in topic, what about "mercy killings? If a person is dying without a chance of saving, do you, or I, complete what has already been started? Or, does one do everything possible just as a formality?

**Marx** · 15th-April-2012

An interesting reply from my above comment:

Quote from helpful information

helpful information Says:
April 14th, 2012 at 12:37 pm @ Marx
There does seem to be a big rush by the politicaly correct to whitewash this issue into just male-on-female violence neutral to religion or culture.
To be fair the blog above does mention that during the Noor Almaleki murder, Noor’s boyfriend was also run over by her father in the attack, although he survived. Killing the boyfriend along with the young girl is a commonly seen honor killing phenom, a “two for the price of one”.
Female on female violence is very common as much as the political correct want to pretend otherwise. As shown in studies conducted in Egypt where up to 90% of rural girls are forced to undergo the most extreme forms of female genital mutilation with large parts of the genitals amputated, this is a female on female violence issue, with normaly it being the mother who decides on mutilation without the father’s input and the mother who forces the young daughters to undergo the mutilation.
Another female on female violence issue is the epidemic of so-called bride burnings related to disputes over dowry payments. In India more than 5000 new brides are burned alive every year and thousands more are murdered each year in Pakistan. The bride killers are often as not the mother in law. There are entire female prison wings in india populated just by mother in laws convicted of murdering the daughter in law.
Unfortunate breaking news today, April 14th, 2012, in Canada, where in yet another case of female on female violence, another Sikh female has been charged in an honor killing of another female.
Woman charged with sister-in-law's murder 'distraught' - Toronto - CBC News
‘Mandeep Punia, 35, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of her brother’s wife, Poonam Litt. Also charged is Litt’s father-in-law, Kulwant Singh Litt”

**Percy** · 15th-April-2012

One has to wonder whether the practice is more to do with a mental defect than religion or even culture.

Behaviours become 'religious' or 'cultural' due to close association and commonality, but underpinning these are mental architectures. Just as diseases predispositions can be carried by genes, it might well be that modes of thinking, including abberant ones, may be genetically based.

These considerations do not absolve, of course.

**FloatyBoaty** · 15th-April-2012

Quote from Percy

One has to wonder whether the practice is more to do with a mental defect than religion or even culture.

Sometimes things are done simply because "it's always been done this way."

A person should always question everything; otherwise, the person will become just another drone.

**Marx** · 15th-April-2012

Quote from samofsons

i don't give a shit about muslims. if you're people haven't gone to space or at the very least , actively trying to go to space
i refuse to acknowledge you are a human being.

That seems deeply ignorant.

**Oneinthree** · 15th-April-2012

Quote from samofsons

i don't give a shit about muslims. if you're people haven't gone to space or at the very least , actively trying to go to space
i refuse to acknowledge you are a human being.

A significant proportion of the population of India is muslim. India has an active space program.
Khazakstan was the geographical centre of the old Soviet space program. It is a predominantly muslim nation.
Your views condemn half of the world to inhumanity, including a substantial number of the men whose rights you are trying to uphold by being a silver supporter.
I'm not sure how your comments advance the debate, Samofsons.