Honor upheld; sister murdered by brother in Jordan

The importance of family honor, the status of an untarnished name is paramount over everything else. In Islam, without name you are nothing. The women are the keepers of this honor and if they do something against Islam, like falling in love with someone the family does not approve of , the penalty is death. The brother was just doing what Islam commands him to do.

15 honor murders so far in Jordan this year, and the holidays are just around the corner.

From ANSAmed November 16

Jordan: Man cuts sister throat to cleanse family honour

(ANSAmed) - AMMAN, NOVEMBER 16 - A man from the southern city of Tafilah killed his sister in public by slitting her throat for being involved in a romantic relation, police sources said on Wednesday.

The 18 year old man attacked his sister in the main bus station of the town, before being arrested, said the sources.

Eye witnesses said medics arrived when the girl was making her last breath as investigation continued to determine other culprits in the brutal attack.

The killer told police he wanted to kill his sister to cleanse the family honour after the victim admitted involvement with a man who wanted to marry her, said the police sources.

The death brings number of women killed in the name of honour to nearly 15 since the start of the year, say officials.

The government promised to adopt an iron fist policy with such cases following campaigns from human rights groups.

But activists say strict social habits make it difficult to eradicate such phenomena.

Killers are often handed a sentence between six months to one year for the murder, say activists.