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Kurdish man jailed in Germany for sister's 'honor
killing'
5.11.2005
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LUENEBURG, Germany, Nov 4 (AFP) - 16h43 - A
German court sentenced a Kurdish man to eight years
in prison Friday for killing his sister because she
fell in love with a German amid a national debate
about Islamic "honor killings".
The regional court in this northern German city
found that the man had stabbed his 21-year-old
sister, who had planned to marry her boyfriend, six
times on a street five years ago.
Neither the brother, now 25, nor his parents
testified during the trial, which presiding judge
Axel Knaack said made the fact-finding significantly
more difficult.
He was subject to laws granting more lenient
sentences to defendants who commit crimes when they
are under the age of 21.
Witnesses told the court that the victim was a
lively, sensitive and intelligent young woman who
felt comfortable in Western society. She was said to
have had a close relationship with her brother.
The family came to Germany in 1994 from Syria. Their
daughter had been allowed to move to Lueneburg alone
and train as a pharmacist's assistant.
She fell in love there and when her boyfriend raised
concerns about their different religions, he told
the court that she said: "It's not an issue. The
main thing is that I am happy. My family is very
open."
Nevertheless, she hid their relationship from her
parents and brother.
When the family learned of their affair one week
before her death, her mother allegedly threatened
the young German, now 29.
He testified that he heard his girlfriend's father
in the background say, "Keep your hands off my
daughter."
The argument continued for days, with the parents
suddenly appearing at the couple's workplaces. They
sought refuge at a friends' apartment but when the
family appeared to accept the relationship, the
woman went home to speak to her parents.
Knaack said the family then demanded that the German
and his parents visit them at their home. When they
refused, the family fought loudly and neighbors saw
the young woman race out of the apartment in
stockings.
Her mother, father and brother chased after her and
as the parents fell back, the brother overtook her
and stabbed her.
In Berlin, a young Turkish immigrant is currently on
trial along with his brothers for allegedly killing
his sister for her "Western lifestyle" in a crime
that sparked a heated debate about how to combat
honor killings in Germany.
The incoming left-right government has pledged to
take action against the problem.
AFP
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