A review of 16 cases of honour killings in Jordan in 1995

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the causes of death as reported in court files of the female victims of honour crimes, the Jordanian penal codes regarding crimes of honour, the evidence used in the sentencing of the defendants, the types of weapons used, the characteristics of the physical assaults on the victims and the sentencing of the offenders. A retrospective study of crimes of honour in Jordan was conducted, and the 16 homicide cases considered to be crimes of honour were reviewed. The autopsy reports of the victims provided information on the physical condition of the victims, including the type and severity of injuries. In over 60% of the honour crime cases, multiple gunshot wounds were the direct cause of death. In cases where the victim was a single pregnant female, the offender was acquitted of murder or received a reduced sentence. The majority of murders were committed by the brother of the victim and the length of sentence received by the offender varied from no sentence to life with hard labour. Offenders who received the harshest punishment were those whose victims married without the family consent.