| Revision as of 09:00, 16 April 2004 editMirv (talk | contribs)16,966 editsm replace an xref that's already in the transcluded message← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:41, 16 April 2004 edit undoMirv (talk | contribs)16,966 edits bit more on Islamic law and interpretations thereof, linkNext edit → | ||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
| '''Honor killing''' is the practice of males killing their female relatives or spouses when the female relative or spouse is considered to have damaged the family ] through unwarranted ] activity. The males involved in the sexual activity, which might have been a ], are not adversely affected, in general. The ] is considered to be private matter within the affected family, rarely do non-family members or the courts become involved. | '''Honor killing''' is the practice of males killing their female relatives or spouses when the female relative or spouse is considered to have damaged the family ] through unwarranted ] activity. The males involved in the sexual activity, which might have been a ], are not adversely affected, in general. The ] is considered to be private matter within the affected family, rarely do non-family members or the courts become involved. | ||
| Honor killings are not a ], rather they are premeditated ]s. |
Honor killings are not a ], rather they are premeditated ]s. Similar practices have been known since ] times, when the '']'' retained the right to kill an unmarried but sexually-active daughter or an adulterous wife; in modern times, honor killing has been observed among the ] populations of numerous countries including: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and the ]. | ||
| Islamic law prescribes severe punishments for ''zina' '' (extramarital sex) by both men and women; premarital sex may be punished by up to 100 ], while ] is punishable by ]. The act must however be attested by at least four witnesses of good character, the act of punishment is reserved to the legal authorities, and false accusations are themselves punished severely. Interpretations of these rules vary: most notably among Arabs, where the practice long predates the rise of Islam, honor killing has been called an essential part of '']'', while Ayatollah ] of ] has condemned the practice as "un-Islamic" (though the punishment under Iranian law is lenient), and in ] (the world's largest Muslim country) honor killings are unknown. | |||
| Sharif Kanaana, professor of ] at Birzeit University states that honor killing is | Sharif Kanaana, professor of ] at Birzeit University states that honor killing is | ||
| Line 28: | Line 30: | ||
| * | * | ||
| * United Nations Developement Fund for Women | * United Nations Developement Fund for Women | ||
| * | |||
Revision as of 12:41, 16 April 2004
This article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
Honor killing is the practice of males killing their female relatives or spouses when the female relative or spouse is considered to have damaged the family honor through unwarranted sexual activity. The males involved in the sexual activity, which might have been a rape, are not adversely affected, in general. The murder is considered to be private matter within the affected family, rarely do non-family members or the courts become involved.
Honor killings are not a crime of passion, rather they are premeditated murders. Similar practices have been known since ancient Roman times, when the paterfamilias retained the right to kill an unmarried but sexually-active daughter or an adulterous wife; in modern times, honor killing has been observed among the Muslim populations of numerous countries including: Bangladesh, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda and the United Kingdom.
Islamic law prescribes severe punishments for zina' (extramarital sex) by both men and women; premarital sex may be punished by up to 100 lashes, while adultery is punishable by stoning. The act must however be attested by at least four witnesses of good character, the act of punishment is reserved to the legal authorities, and false accusations are themselves punished severely. Interpretations of these rules vary: most notably among Arabs, where the practice long predates the rise of Islam, honor killing has been called an essential part of sharia, while Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran has condemned the practice as "un-Islamic" (though the punishment under Iranian law is lenient), and in Indonesia (the world's largest Muslim country) honor killings are unknown.
Sharif Kanaana, professor of anthropology at Birzeit University states that honor killing is
a complicated issue that cuts deep into the history of Arab society...What the men of the family, clan, or tribe seek control of in a patrilineal society is reproductive power. Women for the tribe were considered a factory for making men. The honor killing is not a means to control sexual power or behavior. What's behind it is the issue of fertility, or reproductive power.
Legal codes in Jordan, Morocco and Syria sanction honor killings. Jordanian Law Article 341 states: The act of killing another or harming another was committed as an act in defense of his life, or his honor, or somebody else's life or honor.
The United Nations Population Fund estimates as many as 5000 females are killed each year.
See Also: Islam#The role of women in Islam, dowry murder, machismo
References
- "Jordan Parliament Supports Impunity for Honor Killing," Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch Press Release, January 2000
External Links
- The rationale of honour killings: Commodification of women and the honour code Amnesty International USA
- Killing for ‘Honor’:Legalized Murder
- Case Study: "Honour" Killings and Blood Feuds
- United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Honor Killings in Palestine
- Violence Against Women Campaign United Nations Developement Fund for Women
- Muslim women and crimes of honor