The Tragedy of “Honor Killings”: Third Quarter Report 2024 At Least 136 Honor Killings in Nine Months
By Rezvan Moghaddam
In the first quarterly report for 2024, 49 honor killings were analyzed based on cases documented and published on the Stop Honor Killings Campaign’s website. In the second quarter (summer 2024), 43 additional honor killings were reported and reviewed. For the third quarter, at least another 43 honor killings have occurred in Iran. According to accessible data, a minimum of 136 cases have been identified over a nine-month period. This comprehensive report continues to present evidence-based analyses of these so-called “honor killings,” shedding light on this devastating phenomenon.
The reported increase in the number of women killed under the pretext of “honor” compared to the previous year is deeply concerning. During the early months of the revolutionary Women, Life, Freedom movement, the number of women murdered by male family members saw a marked decrease. However, following intensified repression by the Islamic regime, increased pressure on women in public spaces, and heightened anti-women propaganda in media, there has been a sharp rise in honor killings.
Women are fighting for their rights, particularly bodily autonomy, against a backdrop of systemic patriarchy within families, a misogynistic societal structure, and a theocratic government desperately clinging to control over women. A profound shift in societal attitudes towards women’s rights is urgently needed.
What Are Honor Killings?
Honor killings represent one of the most severe forms of violence, typically targeting women. These killings stem from cultural or social beliefs tied to “honor” and the breach of traditional norms. They are usually carried out by male relatives seeking to restore perceived “family honor.” Such acts are often cloaked in moral justification, arising from actions like defying male authority, premarital relationships, refusal of forced marriages, or even requesting a divorce.
While both femicide and honor killings involve gender-based violence, they differ in motives and context. Femicide encompasses all gender-related killings of women, whereas honor killings are specifically driven by cultural notions of honor, shame, and the preservation of “traditional values.”
It’s crucial to note that honor killings are not limited to women; LGBTQ+ individuals and men suspected of relations with women from certain families also fall victim.
Global Context
Honor killings and femicide are alarming global issues. Recent research by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed that nearly 89,000 women and girls were intentionally killed worldwide in 2022. This marks an increase compared to 2017 reports. Alarmingly, 48,800 of these deaths—55%—were perpetrated by intimate partners or family members, equating to over 133 women killed daily in their homes.
The available data underscores the harrowing reality that homes are far from safe havens for many women and girls. It’s important to note that these figures likely underestimate the true scale due to data collection limitations, especially concerning honor killings.
Iran: Fall 2024 Case Review
The Stop Honor Killings Campaign’s analysis of autumn 2024 indicates that at least 43 women were murdered by male relatives, including husbands, fathers, brothers, or other family members. These figures represent a minimum count, focusing on cases where victims’ identities were disclosed by women’s rights activists or media.
Sample Cases from Fall 2024:
- Haideh Hassanzadeh (19, Sardasht): Found in a reservoir with her body weighed down by concrete blocks. Murdered by her father and uncles after fleeing home.
- Unnamed Afghan Woman (24, Mashhad): Murdered by her boyfriend, who later confessed to the crime.
- Fatemeh Mohammadpanahi (17, Sardasht): A child bride shot dead by her stepbrothers after seeking a divorce.
- Maryam, Nushin, and Sogand (Khoi): A mother, her sister, and her 9-year-old daughter were murdered by the husband after Maryam sought a divorce.
- Raziyeh Hassanvand (20, Lorestan): Forced into marriage as a child, later killed by her brother after refusing another arranged marriage.
These incidents are only a fraction of the cases documented. Each story represents a life tragically cut short due to entrenched cultural norms, misogyny, and systemic failure to protect women’s rights.
At least 14 Women Were Victims of “Honor Killings” in November
November 6, 2023
A 20-year-old woman named Vida Dehghan Piranjogh from Urmia was murdered by her 15-year-old brother. Vida, who was married and a mother of one, had returned to her parents’ home two years prior due to marital disputes. Her brother strangled her, suspecting an extramarital affair, and citing “honor” as his motive.
November 8, 2023
Parisa Mohammadi, a 37-year-old woman from Babol, was brutally stabbed to death by her 60-year-old husband, Farzad. Originally from Babolsar, Parisa owned a beauty salon in Babol. After killing her, Farzad also murdered his own mother and committed suicide. Iranian Civil Law (Article 1117) allows husbands to restrict their wives’ employment if deemed against “family interests,” reinforcing systemic gender-based violence.
November 8, 2023
Sanaz Ghasemi, a 27-year-old woman and mother of two, was stabbed to death by her husband in their home in Miyaneh. Her husband was later apprehended, claiming “family disputes” as his motive.
November 11, 2023
A young woman from the village of Beshman in Gilan province succumbed to severe burns inflicted by her husband, Pouria Nikbin, a bank security officer. Nikbin tied her to a house column and set her on fire after discovering photos of her celebrating her birthday with male relatives. He threatened neighbors and firemen with his firearm to prevent intervention.
November (First Week)
Hamideh Sharifat, a 40-year-old woman and mother of two teenage daughters from Omidiyeh in Khuzestan, was shot three times by her brother, who suspected her of infidelity after her divorce from a forced marriage to her cousin. Her family conspired to cover up the murder, burying her in a remote cemetery under the guise of an accidental death.
November 15, 2023
A 16-year-old girl, a child bride from Zabol, was shot dead by her husband, who cited “family disputes” as his motive.
November 16, 2023
In Shiraz, a 46-year-old man stabbed his 36-year-old wife and 8-year-old daughter to death. He was later arrested, claiming “domestic problems” as his motive.
November 18, 2023
Mahya, a 14-year-old girl from Firouq, Khoy, was stabbed to death by a man identified as Farhad K. Witnesses reported threats of violence from the perpetrator against anyone who intervened.
November 22, 2023
In the village of Dasht-e-Khak, Kerman province, a middle-aged woman was killed by her husband, who turned himself in, citing “family disputes.”
November 28, 2023
In Nasim Shahr, a 50-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband and son, who suspected her of infidelity.
Additional Cases
December 4, 2023: Marzieh (Sonya) Sheshiakani from Kangavar was killed by her abusive husband. The victim’s prior attempts to leave him had failed due to familial and social pressures.
December 9, 2023: A 17-year-old girl named Zeinab A. was stabbed over 20 times by her fiancé in public in Mashhad.
December 12, 2023: A 74-year-old man in Qazvin killed his wife, citing “family disputes.”
December 17, 2023: Roya Amini, 24, was shot by her father-in-law in Urmia. The incident was initially claimed to be accidental.
Systemic Failures and Legal Loopholes
The Islamic Republic’s policies perpetuate and normalize violence against women, especially in cases of “honor killings.” Legal frameworks, including Articles 301, 302, and 630 of the Penal Code, enable male perpetrators to evade severe punishment. For instance:
Article 630: A husband witnessing his wife committing adultery can lawfully kill both individuals, further incentivizing violence under the guise of “honor.”
Many cases are misreported as suicides, accidents, or disappearances, obscuring the true scale of the problem. These documented cases are merely the visible portion of a much larger issue. The leniency shown in prosecuting “honor killings” reflects systemic misogyny, which, combined with societal silence, fosters an environment where such atrocities continue unabated.
Statistical Analysis of Honor Killings in the Third Quarter of 2023
Based on the available data collected on honor killings during the third quarter of 2023, the following results have been obtained, presented through frequency distribution tables and graphs. According to this report, the average age of the perpetrators of honor killings is 39 years, while the average age of the victims is 31 years. It is noteworthy that these figures are not fixed and may vary in subsequent quarterly and annual reports.
Table and Chart 1: Relationship Between Perpetrator and Victim
| Relationship with Victim | Frequency |
| Husband and Son | 1 |
| Husband and Brother | 2 |
| Husband | 16 |
| Unspecified | 1 |
| Fiancé’s Friend | 1 |
| Fiancé | 1 |
| A Man | 1 |
| Uncle | 1 |
| Brother-in-law | 1 |
| Maternal Uncle | 1 |
| Son | 1 |
| Father and Son | 1 |
| Father and Maternal Uncle | 1 |
| Father-in-law | 1 |
| Father | 5 |
| Brother | 4 |
| Boyfriend | 1 |
Out of 43 documented cases of honor killings, 19 were committed by husbands. Other male relatives, including fathers, brothers, uncles, fathers-in-law, maternal uncles, and fiancés, were also among the perpetrators of these killings.
Table 2: Means of Killing
Means of Killing Count
Burning 3
Firearms 11
Knives 14
Strangulation 9
Strangulation and Dismemberment 1
Hanging 1
Beating 1
Poisoning 1
Unspecified 1
The data shows that among the 43 documented honor killings of women in the fall of 2023, knives (14 cases) were the most frequently used weapon, followed by firearms (including pistols, Kalashnikovs, and hunting rifles) with 11 cases. Strangulation accounted for 9 cases. Other methods included beating, hanging, dismemberment, and poisoning.
Approximately 25% of the honor killings in fall 2023 occurred in West Azerbaijan Province (10 out of 43 cases). Other provinces with significant incidents included Khorasan Razavi, Tehran, and Mazandaran (4 cases each), followed by Khuzestan (3 cases). Additional provinces where honor killings were reported include Fars, Zanjan, Qazvin, Semnan, and Sistan and Baluchistan.
According to the available data, suspicion is one of the primary motives behind “honor killings.” Out of 43 cases, 18 women were murdered solely based on suspicion of having a relationship with a man.
Following suspicion, family disputes are the second leading cause of “honor killings.” Ten women were killed by male family members due to “family disputes.” The term “family disputes” often serves as a code for “honor killings” since, in most cases, women and young girls resist the control imposed on them by male family members, especially husbands or fathers.
Other reasons include rejecting marriage proposals, seeking a divorce, refusing forced marriage, running away from home, or having a relationship with a man.
Hiding the images, names, and identities of both perpetrators and victims in “honor killing” cases in Iran, under the pretext of protecting family reputation, conceals the horrific crimes that claim the life of a woman every day. The Islamic Republic’s approach to addressing social issues in Iran is marked by secrecy, silence, denial, and, ultimately, reliance on Islamic laws to justify such crimes.
Ending femicide and violence against women requires collective will. Eliminating misogynistic culture and abolishing all discriminatory laws against women are the first steps toward this goal.
Call to Action
The Stop Honor Killings Campaign aims to shed light on this grim phenomenon and advocate for preventative measures. Greater awareness, robust legal frameworks, and societal shifts in attitudes towards women are essential to combat this pervasive violence.
#WomenAreNoOne’sHonor
#NoOneIsAnyone’sHonor
