Femicide in Kian Shahr, Iran: 23-Year-Old Woman Shot Dead by Husband

Unnamed woman
Age: 23
Shot to death: August 1, 2023
Residence: Kian Shahr, Tehran Province
Origin: Iran
Children: -
Perpetrator: Husband

According to Hamshahri Online, on August 1, 2023, a young man shot his 23-year-old spouse in the chest, resulting in her death in Kian Shahr, Tehran. The victim's mother conveyed to the authorities, "My daughter got married to her cousin several years ago. Their marriage was forced and due to the insistence of the families, which led to constant conflicts and disputes between them."

Further investigation by the police revealed that the young woman had initiated divorce proceedings some time ago. The husband was taken into custody.

Scrutiny of his records also exposed his involvement as one of the suspects in the January 2022 explosion of a Peugeot car in the Kian Shahr area, an incident that resulted in the death of the car's driver.

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.