Honor Killing in Darrehshahr, Iran: 17-Year-Old Girl Murdered by Her Father

Mobina Zeinivand
Age: 17
Shot to death: August 26, 2024
Residence: Garzelangar, Darrehshahr, Ilam
Origin: Iran
Perpetrator: Father

On the morning of Monday, August 26, 2024, Mobina Zeinivand, a 17-year-old girl from the village of Garzelangar in the rural Majin district of Darrehshahr County, Ilam Province, Iran, was killed by her father in an honor-related crime.

A well-informed source revealed that the perpetrator, Mobina's 56-year-old father, shot her with a shotgun in their home. The source stated that the motive behind Mobina Zeinivand's murder was related to honor, adding that she was killed because of her relationship with a teenage boy. Mobina's father opposed the relationship due to family disputes between them and the boy's family, and ultimately, he killed his daughter for this reason.

The laws in the Islamic Republic of Iran are rooted in Sharia law, often leading to lenient punishments for men who kill because of "honor," including fathers who murder their daughters. Iran is under growing international pressure to reform these laws and bring them more in line with international law.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.