Attempted honor killing in Kiel, Germany: Father and two sons charged

Unnamed man
Age: 26
Attempted murder: September 20, 2024
Residence: Kiel-Gaarden, Germany
Origin: Unknown
Perpetrators: Father and 2 brothers of his girlfriend

In September 2024, a 26-year-old man was critically injured in broad daylight outside a supermarket at Vinetaplatz in Kiel-Gaarden, a district of the North German port city Kiel on the Baltic Sea near Hamburg, by a baton and knives. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the perpetrators were a father and his two sons.

The motive: The man was in a relationship with the daughter or sister of the attackers, which was considered undesirable within their family. It is possible that offended family honor played a role, suggesting an attempted honor killing.

During the attack, an 18-year-old bystander was also seriously injured while attempting to help. The three suspects fled but were arrested eleven hours later by a special unit.

On April 17, 2025, the charges against the father and his two sons were made public. The father is in pretrial detention, while the sons are free under strict conditions. As one of the sons is a minor, the case is being handled behind closed doors by the juvenile court. The victim is acting as a co-claimant in the trial.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.