Seven murders at this time have been documented since the beginning of this year against Palestinian women in various areas of the West Bank and Gaza on the basis of what is called ‘family honour’.
MIFTAH, as an organization dedicated to promoting the rule of law, public accountability and promotion of women’s civil and political rights, strongly condemns the recent targeting of women by their family members.
Within a month, five women, Shadia Jidawi from Tulkarem, Yusra Al ‘Azamy from Gaza, Faten Habash from Ramallah, Rudaina Shukirat (8 months pregnant) and her sister, Amany Shukirat from Jabal Mukaber, were killed for challenging patriarchal norms.
The complex case around the death of Rahila Iqbal, 20, who died in connection with a car accident in Randheer, Pakistan last week, took a new turn on Wednesday when authorities there jailed her father and grandfather and charged them with murder.
In the past four months, six Muslim women living in Berlin have been brutally murdered by family members. Their crime? Trying to break free and live Western lifestyles.
Faeq Ameen Bakr, director general of Baghdad's Institute of Forensic Medicine in Baghdad, often writes "killed to wash away her disgrace" in the many autopsy reports and investigations that cross his desk.
There is growing concern among Palestinian human rights workers after the killings of at least six young women in recent months. The murders are described in some quarters as "honour killings".
