JORDAN: 20TH HONOR CRIME IN 2009; PUBLIC AWARENESS

UNCLAS AMMAN 002324

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL KCRM KWMN KJUS JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: 20TH HONOR CRIME IN 2009; PUBLIC AWARENESS
INCREASES

REF: A) AMMAN 1885, B) AMMAN 1884, C) AMMAN 1821, D) AMMAN 1674, E)
AMMAN 1673, F) AMMAN 1618, G) AMMAN 1558, H) AMMAN 1509, I) AMMAN
1318, J) AMMAN 471, K) 08 AMMAN 3280, L) 08 AMMAN 3123


1. On October 18, local media reported the twentieth honor crime in
Jordan to date in 2009. A man handed himself into the police after
stabbing his 24-year old daughter allegedly to "cleanse the family's
honor." The incident took place in the Jordan Valley and the father
alleged that his single daughter was examined by a doctor and found
to be pregnant out of wedlock.


2. According to police sources, the father accompanied his daughter
to the medical clinic after he suspected that she had been involved
in "illicit relations." After the doctor examined her and confirmed
that she was pregnant, her father publicly stabbed her sixteen times
in the town's main street, and prevented any passersby from coming
close to her until the police arrived. A Public Prosecutor, Mamduh
Al Alween, was immediately dispatched to the crime scene. The
perpetrator has been charged with pre-mediated murder and the case
will be tried before the new honor crime tribunal once the
investigation process is complete.


3. Comment: The increasingly local media coverage of honor crimes is
a positive development towards changing public attitudes. The fact
that this killing was carried out on a busy street without anyone
able to stop it clearly struck a nerve in some of the media
coverage. Post is also working with partners to raise awareness and
change societal attitudes (in addition to pushing for penal code
amendments related to honor crimes and further judicial reform).
One such initiative is being carried out by the Information and
Research Center (IRC) of the King Hussein Foundation. Their study
on the root causes of honor crimes released on October 1 found that
"in the absence of inputs that raise one's social standing, such as
high educational attainment, prestigious work position and high
income, combined with increased economic burdens, such as marriage
and children, the perception and pressure of society, specifically
the concept of honor takes on an exaggerated value." IRC will now
initiate a public awareness campaign with a range of partners for
which Post has provided input and ideas. Additionally, Rana
Husseini, author of Murder in the Name of Honor, is currently on a
two month book tour in the U.S. to raise awareness and build
partnerships with U.S. organizations. Through the VOLVIS program,
the Department is setting up speaking events for Husseini in
Washington and New York. End Comment.

BEECROFT