Violence against women: Murder of 5 people, including four women from one family, in Kangan County

On Thursday night, March 19, three sisters, the grandmother, and the fiancé of one of the girls were murdered by the cousin of the girls in Kangan city, Bushehr province. It is said that the murders were carried out under the pretext of the type of clothing and lifestyle of the girls in this family.

According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, on Thursday night, March 19, 2020, three sisters, the grandmother, and the fiancé of one of these girls were murdered in Kangan city, Bushehr province, by the cousin of the daughters of the family.

The girls, who were 14, 18, and 21 years old, were murdered along with their 75-year-old grandmother and the 21-year-old fiancé of one of the girls, who was present in the family's home at the time of the murder.

Local sources confirmed to HRANA that the motive for the murder, based on the defendant's previous statements on social media, was the type of clothing worn by the girls and their relationships. The defendant claimed in his statements that he had previously warned the girls about this.

Ali Hassanpour, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor of the capital of Bushehr province, confirmed this morning that these five citizens were murdered, and stated that the motive for the murder was dissatisfaction with the family's behavior and performance.

Honor crimes or honor killings refer to the violence and often murder of women in a family by their male relatives.

These women are punished for “disgracing the honor of their family.” This dishonor can include a variety of things, including refusing to marry, being the victim of rape, being divorced (even from an unworthy husband), having sex with the opposite sex, or committing adultery. For someone to be a victim of honor crimes, it is enough to be perceived as having brought dishonor upon the family.

Iranian law includes provisions to exempt individuals who commit "honor killings" from severe punishment.

Source: HRANA