By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – A 23-year-old pregnant woman was reportedly killed by her brother for marrying without her family’s permission.  On August 13, the 30-year-old man was charged with premeditated murder and illegal possession of weapons.

Jihad al-Diridi, the prosecutor who filed the charges, said the unnamed woman got married two years ago and had a baby boy.  The woman had reportedly reconciled with her parents, who invited her to another brother’s wedding on August 12, where the woman was killed.  Al-Diridi said the charged brother shot his sister in the head and abdomen after the wedding reception.  The woman’s husband was beaten by two other brothers, who were later charged with assisting in the crime.

After the killing, the brother who shot the woman walked to the nearest police station, turned himself in, and handed over his gun.  Sources said the man told police he had killed his sister “to cleanse his family’s honor.”

This “honor killing” was the second in two days in Amman.  The first such killing happened on August 11, when a 39-year-old man killed his 16-year-old niece.  The girl had been raped eleven months ago by two relatives and had become pregnant.  The uncle reportedly learned of the rape on August 8 and “decided to kill her in the name of family honor,” according to a source.  The girl was shot nine times in the head in her family home.  The uncle was charged with premeditated murder.

Fifteen honor killings have been reported in Jordan so far this year.  An average of twenty Jordanian women are killed each year by relatives who claim to be protecting the family honor, despite government attempts to curb the murders.  The Jordanian Parliament has refused to strengthen the penal code to create harsher sentences for the crimes.

For more information, please see:

Richmond Times-Dispatch – Jordanian Man Charged with Killing Pregnant Sister – 13 August 2009

Straits Times – Man Charged for Killing Sister – 13 August 2009

Vancouver Sun – Jordan Woman Killed for Marrying Without Permission – 13 August 2009

Jordan Times – Man Charged with Premeditated Murder of his 16-Year-Old Niece – 12 August 2009

Huffington Post – Jordanian Man Accused of Stabbing Pregnant Sister – 12 April 2009