Life Sentences Stand in Sinister Honour Killing Case
Italians, a court upheld the life imprisonments of her Pakistani parents after they were convicted of killing 18-year-old Saman Abbas for turning down an arranged wedding. The sentence on Friday, after an appeal by her parents to lower it, was spurned by the court.
Body Was Found 18 Months Later
Saman’s body was discovered in November 2022 near a farmhouse near her father’s workplace, 18 months since she was initially reported missing. The investigators concluded that she had died by strangulation since her neck had been fractured. Her disappearance had raised suspicions initially, particularly after her parents suddenly left Italy for Pakistan while she was still missing.
Five Family Members Convicted
In addition to Saman’s father, Shabbir Abbas, and mother, Nazia Shaheen, her uncle Danish Hasnain and two of her cousins were also convicted. Hasnain, who had been given a 14-year sentence, was given an extended term of 22 years. Shabbir Abbas was extradited from Pakistan, whereas Shaheen was tried in absentia and then arrested close to the Pakistani-administered Kashmir border after escaping capture for almost three years. The remaining members of the family were arrested in France and Spain.
Clash of Cultures and Control
Court papers indicated that Saman’s adoption of Western lifestyle, such as refusing to wear a hijab and dating openly, created tension with her conservative family. She had previously informed her boyfriend that she feared for her life after refusing marriage to her older cousin. Although she had been under the care of social services for a while, she eventually returned home where she was killed.
Despite compelling evidence, the family has continually denied any participation, with her father informing the court, “Never in my life did I think of killing my daughter.”
