Family Jailed in Belgium for Honour Killing
7:50pm 25 October
Summary
On
October 22, 2007 Sadia Sheik was shot to death. sheik was guilty of
defying her family by living with a Belgian and refusing an arranged
marriage. Her death was in to her family, in the name of honour.
Years
after Sheik’s death a Belgian court has sentenced four members of a
Pakistani family to prison for the "honour killing" of their law student
daughter and sister. Sheik’s brother Mudusar, confessed to shooting his
sister three times. Her parents and sister stood accused of aiding and
abetting the killing which took place when the student visited her
family in the hopes of patching up their quarrel. Sadia Sheikh left the
family home to study after her shopkeeper parents tried to arrange a
marriage with a cousin living in Pakistan whom she had never met. This
was Belgium’s first “honour killing” trial.
Synopsis
Honour
killings are not necessarily a new phenomena. They have been occurring
for many years and its acceptance is culturally relative. This
particular trial also involved rights groups pleading for gender
equality as part of a civil suit at the hearings. These groups may have
been involved because this was the first honour killing trial in
Belgium. Although there are now laws against such killings in Pakistan I
believe the government needs to implement these laws. Because Pakistani
women are seen as second class citizen and their best interest may not
always considered. Honour killings can be seen as a crime against the
inalienable human rights of these women. These killings are not capital
punishment. There is no judge, jury, or trial. In some cases the victims
of honour killings are only thought to have done something to dishonour
the family name. Until the courts, police, and legislation change their
view about women I believe it will be hard to stop the occurrence or
significantly reduce honour killings in Pakistan.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/12/2011121220173289603.html
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