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Man held for 'honour killing'
16/11/2007 18:01 - (SA)
Amman - A 33-year-old Jordanian has been charged with premeditated murder after his divorcee sister was strangled in an apparent new "honour killing", a security source said on Friday.
The suspect confessed to killing his 29-year-old sister on Thursday when she returned to the Jordanian capital after being deceived by her sister into believing that her father was seriously ill, the source said.
He then hit her over the head, banged her against a wall and strangled her to death, according to the charge sheet.
The suspect said he had acted to protect the family's honour after his sister disappeared from home for more than a year "without permission" following her split with her husband, the source said.
He gave no date for the trial.
Some dozen "honour killings" are reported in conservative Muslim Jordan each year. 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
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