Friday, May 24, 2013

Afghanistan

Canada Jails Afghan Immigrants For 'Honor Killings' Of Wife, Daughters

Mohammad Shafia, his wife Tooba Mohammad Yahya, and their son Hamed (right to left) arrive at the Kingston, Ontario, courthouse on January 26.

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Last updated (GMT/UTC): 30.01.2012 11:09

A husband and wife originally from Afghanistan have been found guilty in Canada of murdering their three teenage daughters and the father's first wife in a case that the judge described as stemming from a "twisted concept of honor."

Mohammad Shafia, his wife Tooba, and their eldest son, Hamed, were sentenced on January 29 to 25 years in prison without parole in a case that transfixed Canada.

Prosecutors argued that Shafia felt ashamed of the rebellious behavior of his three teenaged daughters -- Zainab, Sahar, and Geeti -- and arranged for them to die in a staged car accident in June 2009.

The father, wife, and son were also convicted of the killing of Rona Amir Mohammad, Shafia's first wife in a polygmous family, for purportedly being too lenient toward the girls.

The court heard testimony suggesting that the father had repeatedly clashed with his daughters on many issues, including dating, clothes, and use of the Internet.

Canadian newspapers have published police transcripts in which Sharia called his daughters "whores" and said "nothing is more dear to me than my honor."

The daughters ranged in age from 13 to 19 years, and their bodies were found along with that of Shafia's childless first wife in the family car in a canal in Ontario, Canada, after a trip to Niagara Falls. The prosecution alleged that the victims were drowned elsewhere before their bodies were placed in the car and it was pushed into the canal.

“It is difficult to conceive of a more heinous, more despicable, more honorless crime,” Judge Robert Maranger said. He said the defendants' actions have "absolutely no place in any civilized society."

Lead investigator Chris Scott, speaking to reporters in Kingston in Ontario, Canada, urged the public to remember the victims in the case.

"You know what? I don't want to give [the killers] any more voice than they've already had," Scott said. "To me, and this will be my last comment I'm going to make today, it's Rona, Zainab, Sahar, Geeti -- that's who we should be thinking about, that's who we should be talking about, not these other people."

Compiled from agency reports

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Comments

by: fudge from: Nichols

January 30, 2012 07:45

If this went down stateside they'd get the DP. THIS is why religion needs to take a backseat to politics, logic, etc.

In Response

by: Camel Anaturk from: Kurdistan

January 30, 2012 12:48

This,dear vanilla fudge is not religion,this is islam, moderate islam,to be more preciseas practiced by the current arab springers,and do not criticize them too much as they are the west`s newest allies in the fight against whatever necessary -mrs.Clinton will tell you more on the subject-and I suggest you ask her before you talk on the subject-these people are very very touchy and we must respect their ` ways`of life.The Canadians should build a mosque in the center of Toronto like the shamericans will near the former two towers,but maybe they are waiting for the muslim doves to bring down a tower or two first.

In Response

by: Sam from: NZ

January 31, 2012 05:51

To Camel Anaturk- there is NO reason to tolerate such acts of crime, or to "not criticize them too much" -particularly when the said criminals have chosen to live in a country where there are actually laws against murder etc.
These actions, these stone-age religious beliefs do NOT deserve ANY respect, they have NO place in a civilised society. The sooner people worry less about "offending" them, and more about sticking up for human rights the better.
What is worse ? Innocent people being killed under the guise of honor killings, or the killers being "offended" ? Try reading Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. By all means build a mosque in Toronto, but do not allow practices that are contrary to Canadian law.

by: Scott schwartz from: Los Angeles

January 30, 2012 08:07

Seems like there is an incentive to commit a violent felony when the penalty is only 25 years in prison. Canada needs to consider tougher sentencing criteria for it's worst offenders. Handling some of these defendants kinetically (war college speak for executing them electronically or chemically) should not be taken off the table.

by: Black from: North California

January 30, 2012 08:58

I'm Black and I date an Afghan woman. We live in the U.S., but I definitely think about things like this happening all the time if her parents were to find out about our relationship. It is a very twisted concept of honor alot of people from the Middle East have. Even going to the extent of marrying their own first cousins when they know it could pose serious health concerns. I guess things and people you truly love are worth fighting to keep.

by: Jack from: US

January 31, 2012 02:01

this is what islam is. I hear RFE/RL and NPR want to cry foul for the brutal persecution of these muslims in Canada. Instead of celebrating Sharia law, as RFE/RL wants to do, Canadians are jailing honored Afghans

by: Sergey from: Chicago, USA

January 31, 2012 09:23

Here is an excellent interview that Canadian journalist Michael Coren who followed closely the process about the honor killings gave to Fox News. Here he makes a clear connection between Islamic practices and Honor killings. It is something that liberal media simply refuses to do despite all the facts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efnlMtqfEJM

by: Bill Webb from: Phoenix Arizona USA

January 31, 2012 13:42

I think anyone that has any sense of support for these murderers should take their "way of life" back to the cesspool they came from.

In Response

by: Jack from: US

January 31, 2012 22:14

good advice to RFE/RL and NPR. Watch out in coming weeks how RFE/RL will try to embelish muslim "religion" and Sharia law

by: John from: Canada

February 01, 2012 00:53

A terrible crime, but except for the scale of killing 4 women at one time, resembles crimes committed against women and girls frequently anywhere in the US. For anti-muslim fanatics, this crime and similar ones committed in muslim countries against women is manna from heaven to hit on Islam.

However, everyday in the US, Canada and Europe, non-muslims are busy killing their wives, children and girl-friends - but its called other names: "spousal abuse" is one. Nothing at all to do with Islam, but everything to do with male power over women and the need of some men to assert that dominance up to the point of murder.

In Response

by: Sam from: NZ

February 01, 2012 22:59

John no one can deny that every day non-muslims are killing others also, and this is also intolerable- but a key difference is that in Canada, Europe, US etc murder is against the law and social norms. In many muslim countries Honor Killings are not just tolerated, but they are within the law, within social norms and encouraged by the Koran. Those that commit the murders believe they are justified, and if we do not stand up and protest against these actions within our own countries, (and note I am saying "these actions", not "muslims"), then we are condoning Honor Killings just as much as the 7th century religious texts that give them permission to treat women in such a foul and primitive manner.

“However, some things must be said, and there are times when silence becomes an accomplice to injustice.”
― Ayaan Hirsi Ali

“Almost all the angry letters I received were from Muslims. People called me an Uncle Tom, white on the inside, a traitor to my people. All these ad hominem attacks were basically distractions from the real issue, which wasn't me - It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is abuse, and how it is anchored in a religion that denies women their rights as humans. What matters is that atrocities against women and children are carried out in Europe. What matters is that governments and societies must stop hiding behind a hollow pretense of tolerance so that they can recognize and deal with the problem.”
― Ayaan Hirsi Ali

“Most unmarried Somali girls who got pregnant committed suicide. I knew of one girl in Mogadishu who poured a can of gasoline over herself in the living room, with everyone there, and burned herself alive. Of course, if she hadn't done this, her father and brothers would probably have killed her anyway.”
― Ayaan Hirsi Ali