Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has voiced his support for newfound protection for women, after 13-year-old Romina Ashrafi was murdered by her father in a horrific “honor killing” incident, leading to massive outbursts for changes in the traditionally conservative nation.
Amnesty International condemned the killing and called on authorities to ensure full “accountability” for the crime.
“We are horrified to learn that 13-year-old Romina Ashrafi was beheaded in her sleep by her father in an “honour killing” in #Iran.
We’re appalled that the Iranian authorities repeatedly ignored Romina’s pleas for protection from her violent and abusive father.We call on Iran’s authorities & lawmakers to end the impunity for violence against women/girls & criminalize domestic violence.
They must amend Article 301 of the Penal Code to ensure accountability proportionate to the severity of the crime, without resort to the death penalty,” Amnesty said in a statement on Twitter, Thursday. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Article 301 reduces punitive measures for fathers involved in so-called “honor killings.
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Shahnaz Sajjadi, an aide to the president on human rights affairs, has said in a media interview that “We should revise the idea that home is a safe place for children and women. Crimes that happen against women in society are less than those that happen in the homes.”
The Middle East has been plagued with the local remnants of these sorts of femicidal traditions, which has come to modern scrutiny since the early 90s.
Traditional societies in rural Iran or Pakistan have essentially been the focus of many human rights groups advocating for equal rights. The incident involved with the young teenager was the suitor and the victim conspiring to run away from home, but having been caught by family members beforehand.
The male partner usually does not suffer the equivalent consequences of their action. Ashrafi has asked the police for further protection after father reported to the station to claim her back, but there was no aid given. There is little data on such killings in Iran, where local media occasionally report on such cases.
Under the law, girls can marry after the age of 13, though the average age of marriage is 23. It is not known how many women and girls are killed by family members or close relatives because of their actions, perceived as violating conservative Islamic norms on love and marriage.
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