18-year-old Zilan Ayvaz killed by her father in Piranshahr, Iran

Zilan Ayvaz
Age: 18 years old
Shot to death: July 7, 2023
Residence: Zivah, Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan
Origin: Iran
Children: None
Perpetrator: Her father, Salam Ayvaz

On July 7, 2023, 18-year-old Zilan Ayvaz from the village of Zivah in the district of Piranshahr was killed by her father, Salam Ayvaz.

According to reports, Zilan Ayvaz was fatally shot by her father after he discovered that she had a boyfriend, considering her actions a violation of family honor.

In Iran, certain legal articles have faced criticism for their lenient sentences in cases where fathers kill their daughters in the name of 'honor'. Such cases often result in prison terms of 3 to 5 years. In contrast, other countries like Syria and Sudan have taken steps to align their laws more closely with international standards by removing similar Sharia-based articles in recent years (as of 2021).

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.