A Jordanian man was charged on Sunday with premeditated murder after allegedly stabbing to death his 22-year-old daughter because she became pregnant outside wedlock, police said.
"The father and his brother took the girl on Saturday to a doctor because she suffered stomach pains, and everybody was surprised to learn that she was six months pregnant," a police spokesman told AFP.
"On their way home, the father stabbed the girl with a sword 25 times in her stomach, killing her immediately as well as her unborn baby boy."
The source said the suspect has confessed to the crime following the murder, which took place in the Jordan Valley.
"His brother was also charged with premeditated murder, while the victim's boyfriend is being held in custody for his own protection," he added.
Murder is punishable by the death penalty in Jordan but in such cases of the so-called "honour killings" a court usually commutes or reduces sentences, particularly if the victim's family urges leniency.
In the past, parliament has refused to institute harsher penalties.
Around 15-20 women are murdered each year in Jordan in the name of honour, despite government efforts to fight such crimes. So far this year, 17 cases have been reported.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/091018/world/jordan_women_crime
I will do my best to hold off any negative thoughts I am thinking in regards to this article. It will be difficult to do so.
It is my belief that murder is murder, and there should be no such thing as an "honour killing". Honour killings are just excuses to try and make a murder seem less gruesome. How can you try to make the blatant murder of your own daughter "less gruesome"? This man and his brother took a knife and stabbed his daughter/niece, and her unborn baby, 25 times. I can guarantee if the tables were turned and she stabbed one of them even once she would be on trial for murder (or attempted murder) and no doubt be put to death. Why should they be treated any differently?
Honour killing is defined as:
Acts of violence, usually murder, committed by male family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonour upon the family. A woman can be targeted by (individuals within) her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce—even from an abusive husband—or (allegedly) committing adultery. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a way that "dishonours" her family is sufficient to trigger an attack on her life. Some women who bridge social divides, publicly engage other communities, or adopt some of the customs or the religion of an outside group may thus also be attacked.
According to Jordanian law:
Part of article 340 of the Penal Code states that "he who discovers his wife or one of his female relatives committing adultery and kills, wounds, or injures one of them, is exempted from any penalty." This has twice been put forward for cancellation by the government, but was retained by the Lower House of the Parliament, in 2003: a year in which at least seven honor killings took place. Article 98 of the Penal Code is often cited alongside Article 340 in cases of honor killings. “Article 98 stipulates that a reduced sentence is applied to a person who kills another person in a ‘fit of fury’”
I would really love for someone to explain how come so many of these cases get classified as honour killings and still no one seems to care that men are outright killing women without even needing a speck of proof. If I'm understanding the definition correctly, they need only an allegation, not proof.
I really hope that either women finally get equal rights (which might not happen if men have their way) or once they kill off all the women they realise just how much better life was when your country isn't just a bunch of murderous men. Now I want it perfectly clear that I m not blamming all men, I don't think they are all a bunch of merderous creatures, but the majority must really have issues if they can't think of just how bad their actions are affecting their lives. Seriously, you just killed your daughter for having a baby out of wedlock, here's something to think about: what if (and I'm not implying he did) but what if the boyfriend raped your daughter? You just killed her for something that she may not have had any control over. Why didn't you try to talk it over, or get her and her guy to marry if they were in love? Or do you just find that stabbing your daughter and grandson to be the best course of action?
I pray that your wife has the courage to see just how ugly a man you are, that she realises (if she is stuck in a mentality of thinking that its correct to kill your daughter) she can be next with only an allegation of infidelity. If she does see how ugly you are, I hope you get the worse possible punishment for murdering your baby girl and her unborn son.
Just out of curiosity, how many sick men (a more polite word then the one I’m thinking of) are on the government’s Lower House of the Parliament for them to deny the law’s cancellation?
Instead of going to war for oil and naming it the War on Terrorism, why not put your arms and money to greater use and start fighting for the equality that so many people lack? Or do the Americans believe that killing for oil is far more justifiable than fighting for the injustices in the world? Maybe instead of throwing out so much food from grocery stores (I know how much gets tossed, I worked in one for three years) send the excess food to starving people in your country and worldwide. There are so many solutions to the world’s problems if only people stop looking for profit off everything. Bottled water is not a solution, the water becomes stale and the bottles are rarely recycled. Instead of adding trashcans to every corner of the damn street, bring in some recycle bins. Name one town that has recycle bins people can throw their cans in? COME ON PEOPLE! There ARE SOLUTIONS to everything, just use your heads! THE TIME IS NOW, the more we wait, the worse it’s going to get! WAKE UP ALREADY! Stop waiting for someone else to start, why don’t you get up off your behinds and be leaders for a better world? Take charge for once in your lives. Stop complaining about the problems and start fixing them.
I leave you with these great quotes from the legendary Mohandas Gandhi (yes I use these often so maybe you should start listening to them):
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.
&
Be the change that you want to see in the world.
Good day to all.
Stay safe and have fun,
T.R.
