Wednesday, January 10, 2001

AMMAN - A 14-year-old child was strangled to death by her brother in
Al Nuzha suburb late Tuesday night, in what the assailant alleged was a
crime of honour, official sources said on Wednesday.

The victim, S. G., was talking on the phone when her 13-year-old
brother strangled her with a phone cord. He surrendered to police shortly after the murder was committed, the source told the Jordan times.

"The youth confessed to killing his sibling and informed the
authorities that he killed his sister because she was talking with men over the phone," the source stated.

An autopsy performed on the victim indicated that she was not involved
in any sexual activity.

Tuesday's incident could be the third reported honour crime incident
since the beginning of the year. There were unconfirmed reports that a woman was killed last week in Zarqa for "reasons of honour."

Last year, around 17 women were reportedly killed in the Kingdom in the name of "defending family honour."

Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA
www.imra.org.il

Reproduced by permission of IMRA, Independent Media Review and Analysis, Israel.

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=236