14/05/2026
Celebrating the Bloodshed of a 15-Year-Old Girl Under the Pretext of Honor!
Killing in the name of "honor" is an ongoing atrocity that continues to occur across different dates and years, often unfolding right before the eyes of the law and the state. Kewsar, like many other victims denied the chance to live out their childhood, was forced into marriage at a very young age. After returning to her father's home, she was subjected to further cruelty as her family attempted to force her into a marriage with her cousin. Seeking to reclaim her childhood and find safety within the arms of her family, Kewsar tried to flee. However, her parents proved to be a heartless sanctuary, reinforcing the archaic belief that women and girls have no right to an opinion and must simply obey the decisions of others. In a desperate bid to escape abuse and oppression, Kewsar fled her father’s house again, hoping for a more compassionate embrace; tragically, she found no peace, only the language of blood and her eternal erasure. Under the watchful eyes of the world, she was slaughtered, and in a chilling display of triumph, her killers began to celebrate with music and dancing. This crime reflects a deep-seated ignorance that does not merely undervalue women but refuses to recognize the female gender as a human entity at all. This cycle of violence brings to mind the 2014 murder of 15-year-old Dunya in the Kalakchi district, where her husband and in-laws dragged her body behind a car; her 43-year-old husband later posted a video boasting of his "heroism" for killing her over honor and faced no legal consequences.
The history of murdering women and young girls under the guise of honor persists under the shadow of a misogynistic patriarchal authority. During such crimes, promises of justice are made only to be discarded, and legal action is rarely taken. Since the beginning of the debates regarding the amendments to the Personal Status Law, the March 8 Network has actively worked to oppose these crimes, spreading a humanitarian message that highlights this as the primary threat to women and girls. It is a grim reality that girls are no longer protected when religious sects and specific legal codes become the sole reference points, as these frameworks often view young girls as property to be enslaved through child marriage.
Kewsar’s life was a testament to this systemic failure; she was married off at the age of nine and divorced by fifteen. When she refused to marry her cousin, her own family issued a death sentence against her. Following the murder, her relatives and tribesmen celebrated as if they had achieved a great victory or reclaimed their lost dignity. This incident underscores the fact that reactionary thinking and patriarchal tribal authority are still deeply rooted in society and are not easily shaken. Women and girls continue to be killed, kidnapped, traded in "Wife for Wife" arrangements, and forced into child marriages—all while the law and the government stand by as witnesses.
This "femicide" must be stopped regardless of the justification. it is the duty of every humanitarian, every person of conscience, and every freedom-seeker to stand against these disgusting traditions and condemn them. The perpetrators must be arrested and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Furthermore, address the 'Jaafari Code' and the annex to the Personal Status Law, specifically Law No. 1 of 2025, which seeks to amend the Personal Status Law No. 188 of 1959, as these legal shifts often pave the way for such catastrophes. We call on all humanitarians to join our voices and create the pressure necessary to end these crimes, which violate every fundamental principle of human rights.
