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Thunndarr
Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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 Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject: Man kills sister, gets off with "time served" |
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Jordanian given reduced sentence in 'honor killing'
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AMMAN -- A Jordanian who killed his divorced sister over rumors that she had a lover was cleared of premeditated murder because he acted in a "fit of rage," after his family dropped charges, the Jordan Times reported Thursday.
The verdict was handed down Wednesday, five months after the 19-year-old university student shot to death his 22-year-old sister, 10 minutes after he was told that she had a lover out of wedlock, it said, quoting court papers.
The student, whose name was not disclosed, received a three-month jail sentence and walked free for time already served.
"The 10-minute interval between hearing of his sister's immoral actions and meeting her face-to-face is proof that he did not plot the murder," a court statement said.
The young man had turned himself in to the police after the murder claiming that he acted to "cleanse the family's honor" and initially received a six-month prison sentence.
But the court slashed the verdict by half and changed the charge from premeditated murder to a misdemeanor "because the defendant killed his sister in a fit of rage," in line with Article 98 of the penal code, the daily said.
It also argued that the "victim brought disgrace to her family and the defendant and tarnished their honor [because] her actions were against religion and social norms" in the conservative Muslim country.
The court said that it also opted for a reduced sentence "because his family dropped the charges against him and because he is a student."
Medical sources quoted by the Jordan Times, however, said that an autopsy performed on the victim after the murder showed that the woman had not been sexually active before she was killed.
But the court countered: "It is possible the victim had changed her clothes ... before she was killed to hide evidence that would show she was engaged in an illegitimate affair."
In 2006, at least 12 women were killed in similar "honor crimes" in Jordan.
Typically the killers go unpunished or are handed reduced sentences, often with little or no jail time.
Jordan's parliament has twice rejected proposed changes to the penal code that would impose harsher sentences on "honor killers," despite campaigns by human rights activists. |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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| a tolerant, peaceful religion indeed |
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happeningthang
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:17 am Post subject: |
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| jinju wrote: |
| a tolerant, peaceful religion indeed |
Do you ever think before you post??
I think you meant to say;
"a tolerant, peaceful Jordanian judiciary indeed". |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:14 am Post subject: |
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| happeningthang wrote: |
| jinju wrote: |
| a tolerant, peaceful religion indeed |
Do you ever think before you post??
I think you meant to say;
"a tolerant, peaceful Jordanian judiciary indeed". |
Actually, you are right that isn't the religion in this case. It is tribal culture. Druze sometimes do that as well, and they are not Muslims. I don't know if Arab Christians practice that, I haven't heard of it, I only read of it. You don't ever hear of cases of this penalty of killing of males for sexual intercourse. It just happens to the females and if the religion is applied rather than tribalism then you would have the whipping of males if they are unmarried and stoned if they are married. That is my understanding. I, of course, think killing anyone because they had sex is very barbaric whether it is done in the name of ancient Semitic tribalism or religion. Jordan needs to amend this law. The fanatics who claim to be religious are blocking reform, so it is those who hide behind Islam in the Jordanian parliament who are responsible for this guy getting off like this. |
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Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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| happeningthang wrote: |
| jinju wrote: |
| a tolerant, peaceful religion indeed |
Do you ever think before you post??
I think you meant to say;
"a tolerant, peaceful Jordanian judiciary indeed". |
Happening,
That's assuming he has a brain. The jury is still out on that one. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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That ruling is a disgrace.
Jordan just went down a notch in my book. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
That ruling is a disgrace.
Jordan just went down a notch in my book. |
This has been a problem for years in Jordan. There are about 40 cases of honour killing every year. Yes, it is out of a poulation fo 4.5 million, but it still very serious since the parliament of the kingdom refuses to change the laws on the books despite the pressure from the king of Jordan and liberals in Jordan and women's groups. The Islamists hold a lot of sway and even though this is not exactly in keeping with the application of Islamic law they would rather have the unfair application then have a scenario where pre-marital sex becomes rampant in the kingdom. That is my understanding of the situation down there. And the king doesn't want to push it too far and alienate loyal, bedouin tribesmen who are allied to him. He has to keep his power base happy. He has, however, spoken out against this and tried to have changes made. |
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