World

Pakistani couple jailed in Germany for 'honour killing'

Muslim parents killed their daughter, Lareeb Khan for being in a pre-marital sexual relationship

Web Desk/afp December 01, 2015

19-year-old Lareeb Khan. PHOTO: DAILY MAIL

BERLIN: A German court Tuesday sentenced a Pakistan-born couple to life in jail for the "honour killing" of their 19-year-old daughter, who had had sex before marriage.

The 52-year-old father was found guilty of strangling the teenager to death, and the 41-year-old mother was also jailed, as an accessory to murder, by the regional court in the western city of Darmstadt.

The deeply conservative Muslim parents had killed their daughter, Lareeb Khan, in January because she had been in a pre-marital sexual relationship, the court was told.

Pakistani man strangles daughter to death in Germany

According to Mail Online, Asadullah Khan said he believed his daughter had brought ‘dishonour’ to the family by being in a relationship with a boy he did not approve of.

Defendant Asadullah K is pictured during a trial on December 1, 2015 at a courthouse in Darmstadt. PHOTO: AFP

He said he wanted Lareeb to have an arranged marriage as he and his wife had done.

Khan's wife, Shazia, said her daughter had stayed away from the family home for several nights in a row and had stopped wearing her headscarf.

Defendant Shazia K with her head covered attends a trial on December 1, 2015 at a courthouse in Darmstadt. PHOTO: AFP

Claiming she was unable to stop her husband from killing Lareeb, Shazia said, “I couldn’t stop him.”

“I have rheumatism and didn’t have the strength to fight him off. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t,” the statement added.

"One day we received a letter from the police saying she had been caught trying to steal condoms. At this point it became clear that there was sexual contact. When I showed the letter to my husband he snapped.”

The defence had sought a lesser sentence of manslaughter. The couple will be able to apply for parole after 15 years.

COMMENTS (35)

Ted | 8 years ago | Reply @stevenson: You make a perfectly logical argument my friend, but unfortunately, logic only applies to evolved human beings. I struggled with this thought for years, feeling that I was somehow intolerant towards others. But the reality is that no matter how much we wish we were all equal, we are sadly not. And we are reminded of that every single day...

Matthew | 8 years ago | Reply @Kolsat: Wrong, this is why we should encourage more of it. Unfortunately, occasionally it will have this end result, but in the vast majority of cases while the parents may not assimilate, the children will, and it is the children that make the future.

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Neelam | 8 years ago | Reply I think Germans need to sensitize their police they never should have sent the initial letter to the parents. It alerted them and led to this crime. It could well have been prevented.

Ayaz | 8 years ago | Reply This is the main point to be thought that if we cannot bring our child up well. so it happens. We takecare of our child every step of life . Espacially for our female child.

Habib | 8 years ago | Reply @echoboom Well said echoboom, it has nothing to do with religion or being Pakistani. being a Pakistani and a Muslim i condemned this act of violence. them illiterate people not aware of even social and moral values. very painful incident. He hasn't killed her daughter because of religion. as he said "Asadullah Khan said he believed his daughter had brought ‘dishonour’ to the family by being in a relationship with a boy he did not approve of. "He said he wanted Lareeb(her daughter) to have an arranged marriage as he and his wife had done." Islam has very clear view of getting married with you own choice of man or women. Rest in Peace Lareeb

JusticeHunter | 8 years ago | Reply @raw is war: The criminal should be punished as per the law of the land, no doubts but should be no different treatment out of prejudice. That's my point.

JusticeHunter | 8 years ago | Reply @Kolsat: And that's the same reasons; the Western powers should not go into other sovereign countries to destroy them. See what's happening in Syria, every western power is having party, testing their technologies of fire power. So the people run out wherever they can go to save their lives and then people like you say "they should not be allowed", wow that's comfortable to say sitting in your cozy homes.

JusticeHunter | 8 years ago | Reply @Vikram: completely wrong idea.

JusticeHunter | 8 years ago | Reply @Dipak: Everybody thinks their religion is the best, no exceptions.

Dipak | 8 years ago | Reply Dipak@Grace: Because the Ahmedias are the most superior quality Muslims.

Grace | 8 years ago | Reply @Uzair: This couple were from Ahmadiyya Refugees in Germany who claim they are treated badly by Muslims and not allowed to do Haj. How come the newspapers are calling this a Muslim honor crime then?

Superman | 8 years ago | Reply @Dipak: What has this got to do with religion, you ignorant?

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply @GMG: Free society doesnt mean free to rape and kill a non-Muslims and demand that. India has lowest rape rate in the world with highest conviction. Talvaar is not about honor killing.

tragedy | 8 years ago | Reply People say romeo and Juliet is a tragedy...But what greater tragedy can be when parents who bring up their children with love and care that no romantic or other relationship can match kill their very object of love.....the girls life ended with her dying but the parents will have to endure a punishment that is much much worse than death.There can be no greater tragedy

raw is war | 8 years ago | Reply @JusticeHunter: What is the purpose of the rant? if a person can kill his own daughter for his religion,he can do anything.

echoboom | 8 years ago | Reply They are GERMANS...why report Pakistan born...you always look for the sensational ET....would you report a british French dutch butch german born AMERICAN when reporting crime in US?

GMG | 8 years ago | Reply @stevenson: What free society you are referring to? where muslim women are being penalized for wearing Hijaab? Secondly if i am a pedofile will you allow me to molest children of your "free society"?Certainly No! But there are certain cultures of latin america who will let me do this....so the term "Free Society" is a subjective according to your needs. @Dipak: First go and check your religion first where there are more honor killings and rapes occur then anywhere else. recommend you to watch Movie called Talvaar for honor killing in India.

Riaz | 8 years ago | Reply Good to hear they got punishment.

Psychiatrist | 8 years ago | Reply @Kolsat: that indeed is a very biased thinking on your part....and there are people who remain conservative in their thoughts no matter where they are. This is more culture bound rather than religion..so I feel sorry for them, their children and you.

Abdul Mannan | 8 years ago | Reply @Dipak and everyone, Believe me, it(killing) has nothing to do with Religion.

ask | 8 years ago | Reply The murderers would've factored in the almost certain punishment before committing the crime & that must've been acceptable rather than face 'dishonour'. Therefore "he snapped" kind of crime-of-passion defence by the wife wouldn't hold water.

omar anis | 8 years ago | Reply Such couples should be executed; jails in western countries are too comfortable for such lot, they should be put to hard labor without possibility of parole. Daughter being an adult has the right to choose her own life style. Here in Pakistan law permits over 18 people to make their own choices, societal and cultural pressures apart, a lot of them do, especially in cities. Most marriages are unarranged or semi arranged, couples tell their respective parents about their choices, parents then formalize engagement and plan marriage. Just recently I attended a marriage of a Pakistani girl with an Irish boy here in Islamabad; they met while she was studying abroad.

JusticeHunter | 8 years ago | Reply @charles: It means no other crimes happen in Germany? Are other criminals sent out of? This is the shallow and narrow mindedness and a hidden desire that's never gonna be fulfilled, live with it pal.

Abdullah | 8 years ago | Reply We call these kind of people hypocrites.

N K Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistanis can get away with honor killing in Pakistan but not in a foreign country. They should obey the laws of that land. It's time that parents start consulting the girl before arranging her marriage, because the girl also has a right as a human to have her choice. Salams

Vikram | 8 years ago | Reply @stevenson: Under Isalmic laws father could just pay some blood money to his wife and have a good life.

MuslimSon | 8 years ago | Reply This is how a society should react by dishonoring the ones who react unjustly in the name of honor.Next time someones honor gets excited they would know what lies at the end of this road.

Dipak | 8 years ago | Reply The Muslims think their religion is best.

PB | 8 years ago | Reply How did they get to Germany? They are not techies with this medieval mindset..

nasir hafeez | 8 years ago | Reply There is no "honor" in killing your own daughter. It is nothing but murder, and any amount of rage doesn't justify it. There is no justification either religiously or otherwise. Manslaughter charnge and parole after 15 years would be a joke of a punishment for cold blooded murder.

Skywalker | 8 years ago | Reply I feel sorry for the mother. She lost a child. She should have called the police when her husband - the so called mard, expressed his desire. I am not sure what type of punishment would he get under sharia for this, if it happens in Islamic nation.

Kolsat | 8 years ago | Reply @stevenson: This case is the reason why Muslims should not be allowed to enter Europe because they will do anything to enetr there and once there revert back to Islamist living. They will never assimilate or learn how a free society works.

Uzair | 8 years ago | Reply Ah yes - the age old story of idiots from Muslim countries settling in Western countries with liberal laws, using said laws to get citizenship and good living conditions, but believing that they can also maintain their stone-age ways of thinking and culture. Sad for their children.

stevenson | 8 years ago | Reply I believe this couple got what they deserved for this cowardly crime. Do these people who live there not understand the nature of a free society when they hide in trucks and boats to sneak into to Europe crying about persecution in their home countries ? When so many Muslim refugees move to Germany to claim asylum after making up claims of persecution, what gives anyone the right to persecute another human being?

charles | 8 years ago | Reply The defence had sought a lesser sentence of manslaughter . It's call premeditated murder in the West. After they finish the jail sentence Germany should revoke their citizenship and send them back to Pakistan.

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