“She was fighting every day”: Sadia, 20, was killed by her family, the overwhelming story that aroused consciences on honor crimes in Belgium

Sadia, 20, was in love with Jean and wanted to live freely. Furthermore, But the weight of traditions killed her. Meanwhile, On October 22, 2007, she was the victim of several shots at the home of her family in Lodelinsart. Similarly, Dispute who turns badly or honor crime fomented by all his family? Meanwhile, The Assize Jury decided in December 2011. Meanwhile, For the first time, Belgium judges an honor crime.

On August 25, 2006, a young woman dressed in a sumptuous red dress settled in front of a screen. For example, His family took place on the large sofa in the living room. However, It is the marriage of Sadia and Abbas, a Pakistani cousin. Moreover, The union takes place at a distance, “she fighting every day”: sadia, at least at first. In addition, Is it forced or consented? Similarly, The versions oppose.

At the Institute for the Equality of Women. For example, Men, we recognize the difficulty of detecting these forced marriages, at the time as today. However, “The victims of these forced marriages are sometimes taken in a loyalty conflict compared to their families. For example, their traditions,” explains Michel Pasteel, director of the institute. However, While they themselves are in a modern life that does not correspond to this tradition. Consequently, But they say nothing. For example, »»

The trip to Pakistan to formalize the Union is scheduled for March 2007. Similarly, It will never take place. Furthermore, Three days before, Sadia fled. She takes refuge in a battered women’s house and try to cut the bridges with her family. But it floods it with messages, phone calls, threats. According to her friends, the life of the young woman becomes a hell, but she is good.

“We had to hide it in the toilet” – "she fighting every day": sadia,

Sadia is in love with Jean. A young Belgian met a year earlier. She wants to become a lawyer and continues to take courses, under protection. “There were scenes where we had to hide it in the toilet or in the teacher room,” said “she fighting every day”: sadia, university staff. “There have been altercations, especially once in particular when the police had to intervene in the school.”

The months go by. Sadia rents an apartment in Mons. Time seems to appease conflicts. Mudusar, Sadia’s brother, offers him to come and eat with the family on October 22, the young woman accepts. The trap closes. Shorts slam in the house of Lodelinsart. Mudusar flees. Sadia is seriously injured. She died in hospital 48 hours later.

His upset friends. paints the portrait of a young woman rolled out between two cultures, between two loyalties and victim of a long -scheduled crime. “Our fundamental rights. we live them every day without realizing it that we live them, and she, every day, was fighting to be able to live them simply. »»

“It was emblematic because there was immediate support from all the entourage of the victim. his friends and therefore it created a craze also at the media level,” recalls Michel Pasteel. Which means that for the first time, it gave visibility to this phenomenon called honor crimes. »»

Honorary Crime

Honorary crimes is also the conclusion of the investigators. Mudusar, the loved one so much, was arrested after three months of run. He assumes everything. He claims to have acted on his own initiative, but he does not “she fighting every day”: sadia, convince. On November 21, 2011, the father, mother, brother and little sister of Sadia appeared before the assizes of Mons. No one represents Sadia.

“There were no civil parties. only the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men was present as a civil party, which is our legal mission,” says Michel Pasteel.

For the first time, Belgium judges an honorary crime without the concept existed in the law. We then speak of assassination with aggravating circumstances. “Afterwards. there was the female stop law where the crime of honor is defined for the first time in the law,” said Michel Pasteel.

“she fighting every day”: sadia,

During these three weeks of trial, the tension is constant. Mudusar loved his sister, he said, but he had to comply with tradition. Sadia’s mother, impassive, seems to not understand what she is doing there. The father, a closed face, denies having wanted the death of his daughter. “He didn’t want it. He did not intervene for this crime to be committed, ”says Michel Bouchat, lawyer for Sadia’s father. The jury does not believe it. He condemned the father. head of the family, to 25 years in prison, the brother at fifteen, the little sister at five and Sadia’s mother at 20. His sentence will be reduced during a second trial.

Awareness

But beyond the sorrows, Sadia’s death leads to an awareness and changes. Michel Pasteel details: “There are extremely concrete measures. such as, in the event of potential victims, plan a place to be able to welcome “she fighting every day”: sadia, them safely, give really intense training to the high magistrates and the police, to ensure that there are statistics, that is an obligation now”.

Each year in Belgium, civil status officers denounce around twenty forced marriages. For Sadia, it was the stage before death.