Girl Suffers "Honor Killing" by Her Family

Seventeen Year Old Girl Stoned to Death for Dishonoring the Family

CSW
IRAQ-- In a town near Mosul, seventeen year old Du'a Khalil Aswad was murdered. Aswad died after being stoned to death when male family members claimed she had shamed the family. The men in her family and hard core religious leaders pulled the teenager out of a house and into the street. With a crowd watching, several men hurled rocks and stones at the unprotected girl for thirty minutes before she finally died. Reports from Iraq indicate security personnel were in the crowd, and failed to make efforts to stop the attack.

A teenage love story ends tragically. Aswad's "honor killing" resulted from a relationship with a Sunni Muslim boy. Her family disapproved of the relationship because of religious differences. The Aswad family belong to the Yezidi, a Kurdish religious organization. It has been reported that the young Miss Aswad had left her family and religion behind, and perhaps converted to Islam. Her boyfriend's whereabouts are unknown as he is currently in hiding, fearing for his life.

An Internet video of the attack surfaced, and has brought demands from the British arm of Amnesty International, insisting that the killers of the "abhorrent murder" be brought to justice.

In what is considered a retaliation attack, a bus traveling from Mosulto Bashika was held up. The 23 Yezidi men aboard were shot and killed by a group of Sunni men.

An Amnesty International spokesman in London has shared that they regularly receive reports of honor crimes happening in Iraq, especially in the north which is predominantly inhabited by Kurdish religious groups. Victims of honor killings are typically females who "shame" the family and "force" the men of the family to correct the situation.

Honor killings have been outlawed, but they are neither investigated nor are the assailants prosecuted for the crimes. Kate Allen, the Amnesty International United Kingdom director commented, "This young girl's murder is truly abhorrent and her killers must be brought to justice. Unless the authorities respond vigorously to this and any other reports of crimes in the name of 'honor', we must fear for the future of women in Iraq."

Published by CSW

CSWarner is a full time student and part time free lance writer living in Pennsylvania.   View profile

22 Comments

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  • char 5/25/2009

    although it is good her family members have been aressted it no diffrecen the ppl who were watchin should be aressted to for some reason ppl stand by an lt these things happen no1 wants to help were all the same but we still like to see others an hurt an do nothing about

  • Debbie 5/19/2009

    Where is honor in killing another human being. Can they just not get over it. Live & let live. There is no honor in killing.
    They showed the girl no mercy. They should be given no mercy. This is a child. God save the children.

  • Hinah 6/17/2008

    Ewwwww what a rude dudes! Bloody murderers. They should die themselves! Poor girl! Didnt have any freedom! :(

  • Pam 4/14/2008

    Cowards she sould of ran away and hid she may still be alive, poor little girl how she must of been scared

  • Nelg Regrab 1/15/2008

    it is not our busines to interfere in there politics religion ect ect.

  • Rachel Krech 5/20/2007

    I'm so glad the relatives were finally arrested for their horrible crime.

  • Robert Ruiz 5/18/2007

    I think it's about time that the (few?) people who care about individuals abused in this way get together, seek out the bastards who do these atrocious things, and beat the crap out of them. But you have to really care... not just express pity. Beat (or torture) the livin' @$&!! out of them so that they'll know how it feels. A little justified fear administered to the abusers would be a wonderful thing. Too bag there are so many "cowards among us'!

  • CSWarner 5/13/2007

    Thanks to everyone for the comments. I agree this is completely unacceptable. Cultural differences can not be used as an excuse for murder. Janet- actually I appreciate the inclusion of my article. Maybe it will bring extra page views :-) I'm going to check out your blogs!!

  • Janet Atwell 5/11/2007

    CS; I should have asked first but, I placed an excerpt of your article in a couple of my blogs. I hope you do not mind, it may lead to some extra page views anyway. If you want to see how I used it the URL is http://thesoapboxspot.blogger.com

  • Vapour in Africa 5/8/2007

    This is sad,insane and criminal.

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