Surge in Honor Killings As 13 Women Lose Lives In Iran in 17 Days

The most recent case, that of 20-year-old Razieh Hasanvand, has highlighted the pervasive issue, shedding light on the dire consequences of the phenomenon done in the name of Islam.

Razieh Hasanvand had been in a coma since October 14 after being shot, according to a report from the Hengaw Human Rights Organization. The young woman was a mother of one and had previously divorced her husband, who was her cousin, despite facing intense family opposition.

In recent times, Razieh had been under immense pressure from her brother to remarry another man. It was her own brother who shot her, reportedly because she had "left the house," as stated by Hengaw.

The Human Rights Organization emphasized, in another report, that from September 29 to October 16, a total of thirteen women in various Iranian cities have fallen victim to honor killings.

The exact number of such murders in Iran remains unknown, veiled in secrecy, but back in December 2019, the ISNA news agency reported that between 375 and 450 such killings occurred annually throughout the country. Given the lack of transparency of the regime and lack of transparent reporting of such deaths, it is likely to be far higher.

Critics have pointed to the Islamic legal system, as well as Iran's deeply ingrained patriarchal culture and traditions, as factors that perpetuate an environment allowing for such killings to persist.