By Rezvan Moghadam

On the morning of Friday, November 22, 2024, just two days before the International
Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Halimeh Habibollahi’s heart
stopped beating. Halimeh’s husband claimed that she hanged herself using a one-meter
gas pipe in the home where they were staying.
Halimeh Habibollahi, a woman from Izeh, lived a life marked by pain, violence, and
gender inequality. She was a victim of child marriage, forced marriage, and domestic
violence. As a teenager, when her family discovered her relationship with a boy, instead
of supporting her, they forced her to marry her cousin, Ashkan Habibollahi. This
arranged marriage was not the beginning of happiness but the start of an endless
nightmare.
A Life of Suffering
Halimeh’s married life became a scene of continuous violence. Ashkan regularly
subjected her to severe beatings, to the extent that even her father-in-law feared for her
life and wouldn’t leave her alone with his son. For years, Halimeh silently endured this
suffering in a village in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, yet she held onto the hope
that her circumstances might change.
The Final Journey: From Village to Bandar Abbas
Recently, Ashkan took Halimeh and their two young children to Bandar Abbas under the
pretense of visiting his sister. However, for Halimeh, this trip was not a breath of fresh
air but the tragic end of her life. On Friday morning, November 22, Ashkan claimed that
Halimeh had hanged herself using a one-meter gas pipe in their temporary residence.
Halimeh’s family and acquaintances firmly rejected this claim. They argued that her
physical build made such an act impossible and pointed to Ashkan’s history of violence
as evidence that undermined his story.
Halimeh’s family believes her death was a deliberate murder disguised as suicide. They
cite past incidents of violence and the unusual circumstances surrounding her death as
clear evidence supporting their belief.
A Tragic Symbol of Systemic Violence
What happened to Halimeh is a reflection of the systemic violence against women in
patriarchal societies. She is not the only woman victimized by such a system, where
killings are often framed as suicides. Hundreds of other women are silently crushed
under the weight of social and cultural pressures.

Halimeh, along with her two young children, fell victim to a violence justified under the
guise of “honor”—a concept that, far from representing dignity, has become a tool of
oppression and control. Her story gives voice to the countless voiceless women still
trapped in these chains.
A Wake-Up Call for Society
Halimeh’s death should be a wake-up call for society to reevaluate toxic concepts like
honor and pride and to pave the way for freedom and justice. While she may no longer
be alive, the call for justice for her and others like her must be louder than ever.
The Broader Crisis
The increase in violence against women in many societies, especially in regions with
patriarchal structures and cultures centered on controlling women, has become a
serious crisis. This violence manifests in various forms, including domestic abuse,
sexual harassment, forced marriage, and honor killings. It is deeply rooted in gender
inequalities, cultural taboos, and a lack of protective laws. Contributing factors such as
poverty, inadequate education, and public unawareness further perpetuate this
situation.
While women’s rights movements worldwide strive to bring this crisis to public
consciousness and policy agendas, combating it requires structural, educational, and
cultural changes. Empowering women and raising social awareness about their human
rights are essential steps toward addressing this crisis.

#Domestic_Violence

#WomenAreNotProperty

#HalimehHabibollahi

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Stop honor Killings Campaign
Rezvan Moghadam, Spokesperson for the Stop honor Killings Campaign.