On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, in one area of Karaj County, a 63-year-old man killed
his 57-year-old wife before attempting suicide by consuming medication. He was later
transported to a hospital in Karaj, where he died. ISNA reported that police
investigations revealed the woman had been fatally wounded in the neck by a sharp
object.
According to Colonel Shojaei, Head of the Alborz Province Criminal Investigation
Department, “This man had previously killed his first wife, but he was released after the
victim’s family granted him clemency.”
Patriarchal beliefs can lead to the normalization of violence against women in society.
Some perpetrators, under these beliefs, may feel entitled to complete control over the
lives and fates of their wives or family members, which perpetuates cycles of violence.
These tragedies highlight significant issues and weaknesses in the legal and judicial
systems of the Islamic Republic in addressing femicide, particularly so-called “honor
killings” and gender-based violence in Iran. The criminal justice system, rather than
focusing on reforming or rehabilitating offenders, often limits itself to imposing small
punishments and releasing offenders after a period. This can result in many offenders
returning to society without proper rehabilitation, leading to repeat offenses.
In the case of this man, the fact that he was released after committing the first
murder—without facing serious consequences or corrective measures—points to a lack
of effective oversight and legal weaknesses that fail to prevent dangerous individuals
from reentering society unchecked.
This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for reforms in protective and criminal
laws in Iran. To prevent such incidents, laws related to violence against women and
support for women’s rights and victims of violence must be strengthened, along with the
creation of more robust oversight mechanisms for those who have committed violent
crimes. Only through strengthening such frameworks can there be hope for a safer
society for women and other victims of violence.

Woman_Is_No_One’s_honor

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Stop honor Killings Campaign

Rezvan Moghadam, Spokesperson for the Stop honor Killings Campaign.