6 charged over 'honour killing'

2007-08-24 19:24

Amman - A Jordanian prosecutor has charged six men with murder over the "honour" killing of a female relative suspected of having a premarital affair with her husband, a local newspaper reported on Friday.

The 22-year-old woman was allegedly shot dead just two weeks after her wedding by her uncle, who claimed he was "cleansing the family honour", according to the English-language Jordan Times.

She was the ninth woman reportedly murdered in a so-called honour crime since the beginning of the year, it said.

The 38-year-old uncle was charged with premeditated murder and five others, including the woman's father, were charged with complicity, the paper said, quoting an unnamed official source.

The victim had filed a complaint against the suspects after they threatened to kill her, but she later dropped the charges on her father request, the official said.

"Before entering the mayor's office to drop the charges, her father lured her to a side road ... one of her uncles drew a gun and shot her repeatedly until he made sure she was dead," according to the source.

Last year, at least 12 women were killed in similar crimes in the conservative Muslim kingdom. The perpetrators are generally close to their victims and often receive light sentences if convicted.

Parliament has twice refused to reform the penal code in a bid to end the near impunity of men who commit such killings, despite pressure from human-rights organisations.

- AFP