Latest news with #Mona
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Victim's family FORGIVE yob who beheaded their 17-year-old daughter outside her home
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Sajjad Heydari dragged Mona Heydari, his wife and mother to his child, from a car outside her family home and killed the teenager A mother and father have forgiven the vile thug who beheaded their 17-year-old daughter - his wife - in a shocking attack outside her home. Sajjad Heydari only received an eight-year jail term for killing Mona Heydari because her parents "pardoned" him for the murder rather than seeking retribution, a court spokesperson said. Speaking in court, the dad, only named in reports as Javid, said: "The husband provided her with the very best of lives. "It's true, there was fighting between them, and sometimes there was violence, and she would return home, but she only stayed for two or three days, and then he would pick her up, and life would return to normal. "These fights between husband and wife are completely normal, and I don't think there was a problem as she did not ask for a divorce." Although Heydari paraded his wife's head down the street after the killing, Mona's parents declined to invoke Iran's Islamic law of retribution and the punishment was reduced considerably this week. Mona, who was married off at the tender age of 12, initially escaped her abusive husband and fled Ahvaz, Iran, to Turkey with another man, the court heard. Heydari had reportedly denied Mona's pleas for a divorce. Javid eventually located her and persuaded her to return to Iran, reports the Express. According to the BBC, her father allegedly used Interpol to locate his daughter and brought her back to her violent husband, where her spouse - who is also her cousin - murdered her, claiming she had dishonoured him. Heydari's brother, Heydar, disposed of the decapitated body, and received a 45-month prison sentence for complicity in intentional homicide this week. The court heard how the victim's father defended marrying her off at 12 to a relative, arguing that the violence she endured in the relationship was normal. Mona was only 14 when she gave birth to their son. "We got a certificate of confirmation that she was physically old enough to marry, and there was no physical problem in the relationship," Javid told the court. The family claimed the husband felt humiliated and insulted after his wife fled to Turkey with another man. The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported the victim was forced to marry her cousin at the age of 12. They also disclosed the young girl supposedly suffered domestic abuse and whenever she expressed a wish to divorce her husband, her family urged her to return home for the sake of their child, who was born when she was just 14. The NCRI's Women's Committee stated: "Not a week goes by without some form of honour killing making headlines. The clerical regime's failure to criminalise these murders has led to a catastrophic rise in honour killings. "In a report published in 2019, the state-run Sharq daily newspaper wrote that an annual average of 375 to 450 honour killings are recorded in Iran. The murders are more prevalent [the areas of] in Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Ilam, and Sistan and Baluchestan. Some women's rights activists believe that honour killings in Iran are officially justified as 'family differences'. "The catastrophic rise in honour killings in Iran is rooted in misogyny and the patriarchal culture institutionalised in the laws and society. Although the father, brother, or husband holds the knife, sickle, or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime. The clerical regime's laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men."
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Man decapitated wife, 17, and paraded her head down street
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT - Sajjad Heydari was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in Iran for the murder of his 17-year-old wife Mona Heydari, who he decapitated and paraded around the streets A man who beheaded his wife and paraded her head down the street was handed a mere eight-year prison sentence in Iran. He avoided a harsher punishment after her parents reportedly declined to invoke Iran's Islamic law of retribution. Mona Heydari, a mother of one, was just 17 when she was dragged from a car outside her family home and killed in February 2022, as per court proceedings. Her husband Sajjad Heydari, and his brother Heydar, executed the horrific attack in Ahvaz, the capital of the southwestern Khuzestan Province. The leniency of the sentence was due to Mona's parents having "pardoned" him for the murder rather than seeking retribution, according to a judiciary spokesman. Mona, who was married off at the tender age of 12, initially fled her abusive husband and escaped to Turkey with another man, the court heard. Heydari had reportedly denied Mona's pleas for a divorce. Her father, known as Javid in local reports, eventually located her and convinced her to return to Iran, reports the Express. As reported by the BBC, her father allegedly used Interpol to locate his daughter and returned her to her violent husband, where her spouse - who is also her cousin - murdered her, claiming she had dishonoured him. Disturbing video evidence, which we have chosen not to show, emerged depicting the murderous husband holding his wife's severed head in one hand and a large knife in the other after killing her. Court spokesperson Massud Setayeshi announced Heydari was handed a seven and a half year sentence for murder, with an additional eight months for intentional assault. His brother, who disposed of his sister-in-law's decapitated body, received a 45-month prison sentence for complicity in intentional homicide. The court heard how the victim's father justified marrying her off at 12 to a relative, claiming the violence she experienced in the relationship was normal. Mona was only 14 when she gave birth to their son. The father lauded the husband they chose for her as a good spouse, emphasising his work ethic and provision of the 'best life' for his daughter. Javid told the court: "She was not forced to marry, and in fact, the husband provided her with the very best of lives. "It's true, there was fighting between them, and sometimes there was violence, and she would return home, but she only stayed for two or three days, and then he would pick her up, and life would return to normal. "These fights between husband and wife are completely normal, and I don't think there was a problem as she did not ask for a divorce." Mona's father admitted, in retrospect, she may have been too young for marriage, but insisted: "We got a certificate of confirmation that she was physically old enough to marry, and there was no physical problem in the relationship." The family claimed the husband felt humiliated and insulted by his wife escaping to Turkey with another man. The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported the victim was forced to marry her cousin at the age of 12. They also disclosed the young girl supposedly suffered domestic abuse and whenever she expressed a wish to divorce her husband, her family put pressure on her to return home for the sake of their child, who was born when she was just 14. Local media reported the husband's brother wrapped the girl's body in a blanket and dumped it, while the husband displayed his wife's head. In the video, the suspect is seen smiling widely as he clutches the teenager's head, walking past local residents. Meanwhile, the state-run news site Rokna was reportedly closed down for publishing the story and the footage at the time of the incident. The NCRI's Women's Committee stated: "Not a week goes by without some form of honour killing making headlines. The clerical regime's failure to criminalise these murders has led to a catastrophic rise in honour killings. "In a report published in 2019, the state-run Sharq daily newspaper wrote that an annual average of 375 to 450 honour killings are recorded in Iran. The murders are more prevalent [the areas of] in Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Ilam, and Sistan and Baluchestan. "Some women's rights activists believe that honour killings in Iran are officially justified as 'family differences'. "The catastrophic rise in honour killings in Iran is rooted in misogyny and the patriarchal culture institutionalised in the laws and society. Although the father, brother, or husband holds the knife, sickle, or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime. "The clerical regime's laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men."
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman forced to marry husband at 12 decapitated at 17 as he walked around with her head
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Mona Heydari, a mother of one, was murdered in the street outside her family home in Iran in a sickening attack carried out by her husband and his brother A man who beheaded his wife and paraded her head down the street was handed a mere eight-year prison sentence in Iran. He avoided a harsher punishment after her parents reportedly declined to invoke Iran's Islamic law of retribution. Mona Heydari, a mother of one, was just 17 when she was dragged from a car outside her family home and killed in February 2022, according to court proceedings. Her husband Sajjad Heydari, and his brother Heydar, committed the horrific attack in Ahvaz, the capital of the southwestern Khuzestan Province. A judiciary spokesperson stated the leniency of the sentence was due to Mona's parents having "pardoned" him for the murder rather than seeking retribution. Mona, who was married off at the tender age of 12, initially escaped her abusive husband and fled to Turkey with another man, the court heard. Heydari had reportedly denied Mona's pleas for a divorce. Her father, identified as Javid in local reports, eventually located her and persuaded her to return to Iran, reports the Express. According to the BBC, her father allegedly used Interpol to locate his daughter and brought her back to her violent husband, where her spouse - who is also her cousin - murdered her, claiming she had dishonoured him. Disturbing video evidence, which The Express has chosen not to show, emerged depicting the murderous husband holding his wife's severed head in one hand and a large knife in the other after killing her. Court spokesperson Massud Setayeshi announced that Heydari was handed a seven and a half year sentence for murder, with an additional eight months for intentional assault. His brother, who disposed of his sister-in-law's decapitated body, received a 45-month prison sentence for complicity in intentional homicide. The court heard how the victim's father defended marrying her off at 12 to a relative, arguing that the violence she endured in the relationship was normal. Mona was only 14 when she gave birth to their son. Her father lauded the husband they chose for her as a good partner, praising his work ethic and provision of the 'best life' for his daughter. Javid told the court: "She was not forced to marry, and in fact, the husband provided her with the very best of lives. "It's true, there was fighting between them, and sometimes there was violence, and she would return home, but she only stayed for two or three days, and then he would pick her up, and life would return to normal. "These fights between husband and wife are completely normal, and I don't think there was a problem as she did not ask for a divorce." In retrospect, Mona's father admitted she may have been too young for marriage, but insisted: "We got a certificate of confirmation that she was physically old enough to marry, and there was no physical problem in the relationship." The family claimed the husband felt humiliated and insulted after his wife fled to Turkey with another man. The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported the victim was forced to marry her cousin at the age of 12. They also disclosed the young girl supposedly suffered domestic abuse and whenever she expressed a wish to divorce her husband, her family urged her to return home for the sake of their child, who was born when she was just 14. Local media reported the husband's brother wrapped the girl's body in a blanket and dumped it, whilst the husband displayed his wife's head. In the video, the suspect is seen smiling widely as he clutches the teenager's head, walking past local residents. Meanwhile, the state-run news site Rokna was reportedly closed down for publishing the story and the footage at the time of the incident. The NCRI's Women's Committee stated: "Not a week goes by without some form of honour killing making headlines. The clerical regime's failure to criminalise these murders has led to a catastrophic rise in honour killings. "In a report published in 2019, the state-run Sharq daily newspaper wrote that an annual average of 375 to 450 honour killings are recorded in Iran. The murders are more prevalent [the areas of] in Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Ilam, and Sistan and Baluchestan. "Some women's rights activists believe that honour killings in Iran are officially justified as 'family differences'. "The catastrophic rise in honour killings in Iran is rooted in misogyny and the patriarchal culture institutionalised in the laws and society. Although the father, brother, or husband holds the knife, sickle, or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime. "The clerical regime's laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men."
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man decapitated wife, 17, and walked around with her head forgiven by parents
A man who beheaded his wife and displayed her severed head in the street received just eight years imprisonment in Iran. He avoided a harsher penalty after her parents reportedly refused to invoke Iran's Islamic law of retribution. Mona Heydari, a mother of one, was 17 when she was dragged from a vehicle outside her family residence and killed in February 2022, according to court records. Her husband Sajjad Heydari, alongside his brother Heydar, executed the brutal killing in Ahvaz, the capital of the southwestern Khuzestan Province. A judiciary spokesman stated the lenient sentence resulted from Mona's parents having "pardoned" him for the killing rather than demanding retribution. Mona, who had wed at just 12, initially fled her abusive spouse and escaped to Turkey with another man, the court heard. Heydari had allegedly rejected Mona's pleas for a divorce. Her father, named as Javid in local reports, eventually located her and convinced her to return to Iran, reports the Express. According to the BBC, her father allegedly used Interpol to trace his daughter and returned her to her violent husband, where her spouse - who is also her cousin - murdered her, claiming she had brought shame upon him. Disturbing video footage, which we have chosen not to show, emerged depicting the killer holding his wife's head in one hand and a large knife in the other following the murder. Court spokesperson Massud Setayeshi confirmed Heydari received a seven-and-a-half-year prison term for murder. He was handed an additional eight months for deliberate assault. Heydari's brother, who had disposed of his sister-in-law's severed head, was jailed for 45 months for his role in the intentional killing. The tribunal heard how the victim's father defended arranging her marriage at age 12 to a family member, claiming the violence she endured in the union was routine. Mona was merely 14 when she delivered the couple's child. The father commended the husband they chose for her as an excellent partner, emphasising his dedication to work and provision of the 'finest life' for his daughter. Javid told the court: "She was not forced to marry, and in fact, the husband provided her with the very best of lives. "It's true, there was fighting between them, and sometimes there was violence, and she would return home, but she only stayed for two or three days, and then he would pick her up, and life would return to normal. "These fights between husband and wife are completely normal, and I don't think there was a problem as she did not ask for a divorce." Mona's father admitted, looking back, she might have been too young for marriage, but maintained: "We got a certificate of confirmation that she was physically old enough to marry, and there was no physical problem in the relationship." The family claimed the husband felt humiliated and insulted by his wife's escape to Turkey with another man. The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) stated the victim was forced into marriage with her cousin at just 12 years old. They further disclosed that the young girl reportedly suffered domestic abuse, and whenever she expressed wishes to divorce her spouse, her family coerced her into returning home for their child's sake - a child born when she was merely 14. Local outlets reported that the husband's brother wrapped the girl's remains in a blanket and disposed of it, whilst the husband displayed his wife's severed head. In the footage, the accused can be seen smiling widely whilst clutching the teenager's head, walking past local residents. Meanwhile, the state-controlled news website Rokna was allegedly closed down for publishing the account and the video footage during the incident. The NCRI's Women's Committee declared: "Not a week goes by without some form of honour killing making headlines. The clerical regime's failure to criminalise these murders has led to a catastrophic rise in honour killings. "In a report published in 2019, the state-run Sharq daily newspaper wrote that an annual average of 375 to 450 honour killings are recorded in Iran. The murders are more prevalent [the areas of] in Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Ilam, and Sistan and Baluchestan. "Some women's rights activists believe that honour killings in Iran are officially justified as 'family differences'. "The catastrophic rise in honour killings in Iran is rooted in misogyny and the patriarchal culture institutionalised in the laws and society. Although the father, brother, or husband holds the knife, sickle, or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime. "The clerical regime's laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men." The shocking murder happened in Iran (Image: Getty)
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Violence in Sweida: Druze Sheik Akl receives support from Rai
Druze Sheik Akl, Sami Abi al-Mona, received a call Monday from Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, during which the latter "expressed his support for the Druze community and its members," at a time when violent clashes last week pitted Druze against Sunni Bedouins in Sweida, Syria. A cease-fire that took effect Sunday brought an end to the violence, which left more than 1,000 people dead in one week. The two religious leaders also discussed the possibility of holding a "spiritual summit to discuss the current situation and work toward civil peace and national unity," according to a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA). The sheikh also received calls and messages of support from Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, Bishop Boulos Matar, the president of the Bar Elias municipality, Rida Mays, and the Islamic-Christian Dialogue Committee member Mohammad Yassine. He also received at his home in Shanay several figures who came to offer their support. 'Distance Lebanon from conflicts' In a statement Monday, President Joseph Aoun praised "the rational stances of the mufti of the republic, Abdellatif Deriane, and Druze Sheik Akl, Mona, former minister Walid Joumblatt, and former prime ministers Najib Mikati, Fouad Siniora and Tammam Salam, who helped ease tensions and distance Lebanon from the conflicts surrounding it." He also criticized those who "raised the tone in response to the unfortunate events that recently occurred in Syria." Aoun on Monday called on Lebanese "to unite their efforts and act in an objective and responsible manner" in order to distance the country from conflicts in the region. He said his aim is to "ensure the country's security and prevent the outbreak of a war that no one will be able to withstand." "This is an opportunity to protect Lebanon, as we did during the conflict between Israel and Iran, during which we made every effort to keep Lebanon out of the war," he said. The events in Sweida have raised fears of spillover and sectarian tensions in Lebanon. It is in this context that Sheikhs Deriane and Mona on Friday, during a phone call, called to "avoid falling into the trap of sedition." The head of state, chaired a meeting Friday on the "security situation" in the country, while Druze leader and former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Joumblatt on Sunday called for the opening of a dialogue among all parties in Syria under the authorities' leadership. In contrast to these calls for calm, former Druze minister Wi'am Wahab, for his part, called for armed struggle in Sweida.
