Popular campaign takes aim at “honour killings”

It was Huda Abu Assaly’s wedding day, and the house was full of relatives and well-wishers. But instead of going to her would-be husband's house after taking her vows, Huda died before the festivities were over. It all started when the 23-year-old Muslim, secretly married a Christian man she had met while studying at Damascus University. When informed of the wedding, Huda’s family – after recovering from the shock – convinced her to return to her hometown of Sweidah, some 100 km south of the capital. She was forgiven, they told her, and promised a proper wedding ceremony, to be thrown in her home. On the wedding day, in late August, however, Huda was stabbed and shot to death by her brother for betraying the family’s honour. Despite the grim circumstances, festivities went on as planned, with the family receiving guests amid joyous ululations as the ambulance carrying Huda's body pushed its way towards the local hospital. This account, particularly the casual reaction of wedding guests, illustrates the acceptability of so-called “honour killings” within certain segments of Syrian society. Huda died so the family's reputation – tarnished, in this case, by a daughters’ choice to marry outside her community – might survive intact. According to women’s rights activist Mayya Al-Rahbi, perpetrators of honour killings are often no more than "tools with which to carry out a crime that is generally instigated by families or tribes." KILLINGS ARE FREQUENT Such crimes, usually committed when a daughter marries outside her religion or because of suspicions of sexual impropriety, are reported with surprising frequency, experts say. While there are no accurate statistics, an internet site called ‘Syria’s Women’, reported 5 cases of violence against women in the space of three months. Many cases also go unreported. While Huda’s story is only one example of the phenomenon, it has sparked a vocal campaign in Syria, aimed at abolishing honour killings and making perpetrators accountable. So far, a number of local intellectuals, religious figures and activists have joined the cause, publicly condemning the custom. Critics note that, according to Syrian law, abuses committed by families against daughters – especially in the case of marriage into other sects – are seldom met with stringent punishments. Article 548 of the Syrian law code, for example, stipulates lenient penalties for a man convicted of killing his sister, wife or daughter if they are found having sexual intercourse with a man other than their husband. Article 242, meanwhile, sets down similarly light punishments for a man convicted of killing a female relative on the mere suspicion of infidelity. Lawyer Saeed Omar said that, even when male relatives are prosecuted for their actions, “judges often commute the penalties, which ultimately encourages the commission of such crimes." A few weeks before Huda's death, for example, another girl was killed in the western Hama province for similar reasons. While her killer, a brother, was arrested, only to be released a few months later. TOUGHER PENALITIES NEEDED According to Women’s rights activist Mayya Al-Rahbi, stiff penalties – including long jail sentences – should be brought to bear against culprits. "Applying tough penalties against perpetrators would wholly deter anyone who might contemplate committing such crimes," she said. Bassam Al-Qadhi, journalist and founder of the campaign against honour crimes, said that no statistics on the practice were available because such crimes generally took place in secret. He added, however, that such crimes “were not exceptional.” He went on to point out that the practice was not confined to the countryside. Recent incidents in the capital itself, Al-Qadhi added, had shattered common perceptions that such killings happen only in rural areas and are perpetrated only by poor or uneducated families. The campaigner also noted that the phenomenon isn’t associated with any particular religion, and both Muslim and Christian women have been killed for reasons relating to familial honour. “The idea is a societal one, and isn’t linked to particular sects,” Al-Qadhi said. “It doesn’t have a religious basis, but rather a social inheritance." Local economist Ziyad Arbash agreed. Minority groups often fear amalgamation into larger groups, he said, and therefore issue strict penalties against anyone seen to be threatening the group’s sectarian unity. CONDEMNATION MAKES LITTLE IMPACT Notably, many religious figures have condemned the practice, which, they say, contradicts religious dogma. "He who kills on claims of honour is a killer, and should be punished," said Grand Mufti of Syria Ahmen Badr al-Din Hassoun. "Islamic jurisprudence doesn’t allow people to live by their own laws." He proposed that the Syrian law code be amended to make honour killings – like other instances of murder – punishable with long prison sentences. Syrian Minister of Religious Endowment Ziyad al-Deen al-Ayoubi agreed that penalties for honour killings should be tougher, noting that the Quran does not condone murder for honour-related transgressions. The Christian church also forbids honour killings. Nevertheless, there are still many in Syria who believe the macabre practice ultimately deters women from committing adultery or otherwise misbehaving. "Calls to amend law articles pertaining to honour killings…would shake the cohesion of society," opined lawyer Maya Dabbas. According to Ammar al-Ahmed, a civil-society activist, Syria is a "conservative society where the perception of honour is still the most important issue." He argued that, if a family brings up its children virtuously, it "would never be obliged to kill its sons or daughters, because they would never commit adultery or sin." PARLIAMENT SOON TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE In an effort to confront this traditional worldview, campaign organisers are planning to hold a number of seminars on the topic, one of which will be held at the Parliament, Qadhi said. Later, a formal request to amend the controversial legal articles will be submitted directly to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his cabinet. While the government has done little in the past to address the issue, activists are optimistic that – given the intensity of the ongoing campaign – the law code could be amended before long.