By Hamid Tamkeen
Local officials in Jowzjan province reported that a man killed his 25-year-old sister in Shibirghan city, and fled from the scene.
Mohammad Reza Ghafoori, the governor’s spokesperson, said the woman killed by her brother was from Qowsh Tapa district of this province. He stated, “She had eloped with a man ten years ago and lived in Shibirghan city after marrying him. The marriage had been against her family’s will.”
The governor’s spokesperson said that the brother had come to his sister’s home the night before, and finding her alone with her small children, killed her and then fled. He added that the woman had been strangled with her scarf, and left behind four small children.
Maghfirat Samimi, head of the Human Rights Commission of Jowzjan, Sare Pul, and Faryab provinces said that some families put restrictions on their daughters which results in them running away from home. She said, “If the family had not restricted this girl, this whole incident would not have occurred. The low level of awareness of families results in such incidents.”
Samimi demanded that security and the judicial bodies should punish the perpetrators in such cases according to the laws of the country. She pointed out that awareness raising activities should be carried out in the society, especially for such families, and that this requires joint efforts by clerics, influential figures and officials.
From the beginning of this (solar) year, nine women have been killed in Jowzjan province, and one has committed suicide.