Iranian Teenager Murdered By Brother In Honor Killing

A 17-year-old from Kordestan Province is the latest honor killing victim, murdered by her brother for an alleged relationship.

Killed with multiple hammer blows to the head, Rozhin Azimi, was murdered on Saturday in Divandarreh, according to Hengaw Human Rights Organization.

Kurdpa news website confirmed her death saying the father and brother of Rozhin are under arrest.

On Tuesday, news websites also reported the murder of another young woman named Parastou Shahbazi who was also a victim of child marriage.

According to Hengaw and Kurdpa, Shahbazi, 18, from Dehgolan city of Kordestan province, was first hanged by her husband and then her body was stabbed.

Shahbazi's husband is allegedly addicted to drugs, but no information has been published about the motives of the murder.

Iran's Islamic Penal Code stipulates that fathers and paternal grandfathers cannot be sentenced to death for killing a child or grandchild. In such cases the perpetrator may be sentenced to prison and payment of blood money to the next of kin, that is the mother, if demanded. Mothers can also completely forgive the murderer and forego the blood money.

Perpetrators of honor killings are often not brought to justice as most families do not demand harsh punishment for them, particularly if the perpetrator is the victim’s father.

Honor killings are prevalent in some parts of Iran mostly due to societal beliefs and the Islamic Republic’s lax laws and light sentences that encourage the behavior.