The beheading of a 14-year-old Iranian girl
who was killed by her father after she ran
away with an older man who groomed her
has sparked international outrage.
According to reports, Romina Ashrafi was
murdered last Thursday by her father, Reza
Ashrafi, who used a farming tool to cut off
her head while she was asleep.
Citing local media, the BBC reports that
Romina ran away from her home in Iran’s
Gilan province with the 34-year-old man,
Bahamn Khavari, after her father objected
to their marriage.
The couple was found by police five days
later. Although Romina reportedly warned
police that her life would be in danger if
she returned home, they escorted her back
to her family.
According to Gilkhabar.ir , Ashrafi was
brutally dismembered with a sickle, a tool
with a curved blade that is generally used
to harvest crops. Following the crime, the
girl’s father confessed to the crime “with
the sickle in his hand” outside of the
house.
On Wednesday, Romina’s story was
featured on the front pages of many
national newspapers. On social media, the
hashtag #RominaAshrafi has been fueled
by posts from users worldwide who are
demanding justice.
The Associated Press reports that Reza
Ashrafi is now in police custody and is
likely to be tried in a special court where he
could be sentenced to up to 10 years in
prison if found guilty.
Hovigh District Gov. Kazem Razmi told
Iranian news agency IRNA, which is
controlled by the Iranian regime, that an
investigation into the killing is underway
and results will be made public.
Many have described Romina’s murder as
an “honor killing,” an act prevalent in some
hardline Muslim societies in which relatives
kill family members who they believe have
disgraced the family in some way.
On Wednesday, Iran President Hassan
Rouhani called on his cabinet to swiftly
enact stricter laws on honor killings.
Masoumeh Ebtekar, Iran’s vice president of
family affairs, told the AP that he hopes a
bill creating harsher punishments for honor
killings will make it through its final stages
of approval.
The U.N.’s Children’s Fund issued a
statement Thursday condemning the
murder.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic
death of Romina Ashrafi, a 14-year-old
Iranian girl, at the hands of her father,” the
statement reads. “At a time when families
all over the world are staying home to
protect themselves from COVID-19, it’s
particularly devastating that a child loses
her life in such a brutal act of violence.”
UNICEF stressed that “nothing justifies
violence against children.”
“All children in Iran — every girl and every
boy — should be protected at all times
against all forms of violence,” the UNICEF
statement concluded. “UNICEF confirms its
support to the government of the Islamic
Republic of Iran to put an end to all forms
of violence against children in the country
so that all children grow up protected and
safe.”
Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad wrote on
Twitter that Ashrafi isn’t the first and won’t
be the last victim of honor killings in Iran if
laws aren’t changed.
“Years ago, Atefeh Navidi, a young girl
from Iran, had her head chopped off by her
father as well because she had a
boyfriend. As you can hear from the
interview I had with the mom, she’s
hesitant to defend her daughter,” Alinejad
wrote . “For as long as the current laws
discriminating against girls and
empowering abusive parents exist,
unfortunately the cycle of violence will
continue. Iran will see more Ruminas and
Atefehs tragically killed by their fathers.
This cycle of violence needs to end.”
The group Amnesty International criticized
Iranian authorities for returning Ashrafi to
her father despite her pleas for safety.
“We’re appalled that the Iranian authorities
repeatedly ignored Romina’s pleas for
protection from her violent and abusive
father,” Amnesty Iran tweeted .
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