Honor killing in Iran

Mona Heydary lived in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz. Her parents were conservative and also did not change their traditional ideas at all. She had a strict upbringing and her mother told her to always obey her husband and parents. Her father, Javad, forced her to marry her cousin, Sajjad when she was only 12 years old. After three years, they've had a son. Mona was too young to have a child and managed her family. Sajjad was an authoritarian husband and did not care about his wife's opinions and ideas. Mona had strong moral fiber and tried to do what was right. She followed her husband and family. On the other hand, her personality and ideas were changing while she grew into a young woman. After that, she fought with her husband and came back to her parents' home. Although she showed a desire to divorce him, her family did not accept and support her. She did not succeed in converting them to her point of view. She only stayed for some days; her family persuaded her to return home because of her child. They never noticed the violence against her and she gradually felt lonely and depressed. Mona did not really want a relationship with Sajjad. She liked to be a free woman and decide for herself. Her mind was changed about the rights and freedoms of a woman. Finally, she decided to escape to Turkey when she was 17 years old.

Mona's father asked the police in Iran to find her address. They gave him where Mona stayed in Turkey. Therefore, her father and uncle went there and brought her back to Ahvaz. One day Sajjad and his brother wanted to punish her for leaving without his permission. They killed and cut off her head on February 5. People saw Sajjad while he was walking in the neighborhood and holding Mona's head in his hand. He smiled widely at the people and satisfied of his decision. In the end, Sajjad and his brother have arrested by the police.

Women were murdered by men of the families such as father, brother, husband, and so on as family's honor. This has different reasons. Some of them are not true but men allowed themselves to kill women of their families. The honor killing has been based on culture and religion in traditional countries such as Iran, Iraq, etc. Unfortunately, families are proud of murderers who do the honor killing. There is an important problem that these people will be free after a short time because families are not going to punish them. This event surely is strange in other countries but sometimes, the honor killing takes place in Iran especially in areas with a low level of education and strong religious beliefs.

The government must support its citizens in every country. Unfortunately, women are the second citizen in Iran and according to the law, men have been allowed to control them. For example, marriage for girls only needs the permission of the father. Mother as a woman does not have any role.

In my opinion, we need strong rules about women in Iran and Iran's government is also responsible for the death of poor girls as the honor killings. Society must be educated to accept women's rights. As an Iranian girl, I should say that women will have a long way to get all their rights and they certainly will need to support in this way by Iranian men.