Iran: 17-year-old girl killed by her brother-in-law and relatives in a so-called 'honor' crime

Image: Jihad Watch

A tragic case of an alleged “honor killing” has emerged from Iran’s Kerman Province, where a 17-year-old girl named Zahra Shakari was brutally murdered by her own family members, including her brother-in-law. The incident, reported by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, occurred in the village of Khabar and has drawn sharp condemnation from human rights advocates.

According to Hengaw, Zahra was killed on Sunday by her sister’s husband along with other relatives, who claimed they were acting to “preserve family honor.” Their justification, as in many such cases, stemmed from Zahra’s relationship with someone outside the family—an act perceived as shameful or dishonorable under certain conservative interpretations of cultural norms.

After carrying out the murder, the family allegedly attempted to disguise the crime by staging the scene to look like a suicide. Zahra’s body was found hanging in a location that, based on her height, she could not have reached on her own—raising immediate doubts about the authenticity of the family’s claims. This deliberate manipulation appears to have been an effort to avoid legal consequences while upholding their distorted sense of family dignity.

Prior to her death, Zahra had confided in the person she was romantically involved with, revealing that her sister and brother-in-law had threatened her—an ominous warning that, heartbreakingly, proved to be true.

Sadly, Zahra's case is not isolated. A 2023 report by Shargh newspaper revealed that at least 165 women were killed by male relatives in Iran between 2021 and 2023. In just the first three months of 2023 alone, 27 such killings were recorded. Many of these murders were also classified as “honor killings,” a term used to describe violence committed under the pretense of defending family honor, often targeting women who defy patriarchal norms or pursue personal autonomy.

These statistics represent only documented cases. Experts and human rights organizations believe the real figures are much higher due to underreporting, societal stigma, and a judicial system that often fails to hold perpetrators fully accountable.

Zahra Shakari's death is a chilling reminder of the ongoing crisis faced by women in parts of the world where cultural traditions are still used to justify violence. Her story, like so many others, underlines the urgent need for legal reform, societal change, and protection mechanisms for vulnerable women.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)