Honor killing in Zehlendorf, Germany: Man stabs ex-wife to death

Nurhan B.
Age: 36
Stabbed to death: August 28, 2024
Residence: Berlin-Zehlendorf
Origin: Lebanon
Children: 4
Perpetrator: ex-husband

In 2021, Lebanese Nurhan B., mother of four minor children, moved into a house on Hampstead Street in Berlin-Zehlendorf. She sought protection from her violent ex-husband. A temporary restraining order had been issued against him for domestic violence, and he should not have known where his ex-wife lived.

On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the ex-husband waited for 36-year-old Nurhan at her Hampstead Street home and stabbed her on the sidewalk with a knife at around 8:30 p.m. Emergency workers managed to resuscitate Nurhan, and she was rushed to hospital for surgery. Nevertheless, she died from her injuries.

The 50-year-old ex-husband was arrested by police at the scene. “He wanted to restore his honor,” explains a spokesman for the prosecutor's office. Eyewitnesses say that during the attack the man repeatedly shouted, “It's my right.”

All of the children are being cared for by family members.

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.