CNN reported on Jun 11th that a Kurdish man living in Great Britain was convicted of killing his daughter in an “honor killing” after she left her husband and fell in love with another man:
Her family decided to kill her because they believed the relationship had brought dishonor on the family as Suleimani was an Iranian Kurd and not a strict Muslim.
Banaz's body was found in April 2006, months after she was killed.
Honor killings were almost unheard of in Britain until a few years ago but police and prosecutors now estimate there are about a dozen such murders a year.
Campaigners say that the issue was misunderstood and that the authorities had been unwilling to get involved for fear of upsetting cultural sensitivities in minority communities.
Banaz had contacted police a number of times before her death, saying her life was at risk, but no action was taken.
An inquiry is under way into the police handling of the case.
Banaz Mahmoud, the victim
Mahmoud Mahmoud, the father
Youtube has the broadcast: .
Moreover, BBC is reporting these “honor killings” are on the rise in the UK, although no statistics are offered:
Human rights barrister Usha Sood said so-called "honour" crimes were becoming more common and were "being perpetrated in the hundreds every year."
[. . . ]
Ms Sood, who specialises in Asian family cases, told BBC Radio Five Live "honour crimes of some sort" whether or not they resulted in death, were becoming more common in the UK.
"But certainly honour crimes are being perpetrated in the hundreds every year," she said.
In September of 2006 in a poll with 500 Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, & Muslims, the BBC reported 1 in 10 British Asians believed honor killings could be justified.
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