Denmark's highest court Wednesday upheld a life sentence against a
Pakistani man for plotting the death of his teenage daughter because she married
without her family's consent, the court announced.
The Supreme Court judges also upheld the sentences of eight other people
who were convicted in June 2006 of involvement in the murder of the 18-year-old
woman, who was shot twice in the heart by her elder brother in September 2005.
The eight had been sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to 16
years.
Five of the eight were members of the victim's family, including the
victim's brother and two of her uncles who received 16-year sentences.
The brother had testified in a lower court last year that the killing was
an accident.
Ghazala Khan had secretly wed Emil Khan, who was also seriously injured in
the attack, thought to have been carried out in the belief that the marriage had
tarnished her family's honor.
The so-called "honor crime" was the ninth such killing to have been carried
out in Denmark in 10 years, according to the prosecutor.
The affair shocked the Danish public and made headlines in September 2005.
"Honor killings" of women by their families are common in Pakistan.
Let us try to separate the good from the bad.
Good: The Dutch went after this conspiracy. And the murders and supporters are paying for their crime, and standing as an example of intolerance to this murderous tradition.
Bad: This still happens. It is bad enough, horrible, that it happens in parts of the world where many in the law either support it or look the other way. But to live in any nation that respects individual rights, and actually think this will be permitted, that it is remotely acceptable is monstrous. This group, and any other group or person who finds honor killing either acceptable, or a duty, are freaking pathetic. They know how dangerous things are, going as far as lying in court to cover up. Apparently, they feel the need to act, but not admit and stand by the act. They are cowards.
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