General

Duo pleads guilty in Canadian “honour killing” case

Father and brother of Aqsa Parvez face life in prison

The father and brother of Aqsa Parvez have pleaded guilty to the young girl’s murder. Aqsa was strangled to death by Muhammad, 60, and Waqas, 29, in the morning of Dec. 10, 2007 at their Toronto-area home for rejecting the cultural traditions of her Pakistani family, including an arranged marriage that was planned for the 16-year-old. According to the National Post, prosecutors say the killing was “a gender-based crime motivated by patriarchal concepts of honour and shame.” After killing Aqsa, Muhammad reportedly declared: “My community will say you have not been able to control your daughter. This is my insult. She is making me naked.” Prior to her murder, the teen had confided in friends and officials at school that she felt oppressed in the house. She once stayed in a shelter in fear that her father would kill her for disobeying his wishes. Tuesday’s guilty pleas to second-degree murder mean automatic life sentences, and both the Crown and defence lawyers have asked for 18 years of incarceration for Waqas and Muhammad before they are eligible for parole.

National Post

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