Death in the West Bank: the story of an 'honour' killing...

As Ibrahim Baradiya recounts the events surrounding the last moments of his daughter's life at the bottom of a dark well, the agony of grief is drawn across the face of his wife, Fatima. She says almost nothing. Her eyes are half-closed. She shakes her head with small, rapid movements. A deep frown furrows her forehead. When the story is finished, she fetches her daughter's trinkets – beads, bangles, a hair clasp, a key ring, a purple pom-pom – and spreads them over the table and she weeps.

The story of Aya Baradiya's murder is like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle whose full picture may never be known; a dark and disturbing tale of death, lies, rumour, ruptured family relations, shame, despair and anger.

But the killing went far beyond a family affair. After the discovery of Aya's body more than a year after the 20-year-old university student went missing, her uncle confessed to Palestinian police, claiming it was an "honour" killing. Widespread protests against such crimes, led by students and women's organisations, erupted. In response, the Palestinian president last month scrapped historic laws that permitted leniency for the perpetrators of so-called "honour" killings. More...

Don't miss:

1. In Saudi Arabia, families choose "honour" rather than reporting rape crimes... 
2. Indian states told to "ruthlessly stamp out" honour killings...
3. Jordan fights honour killings...
4. Teen girl electrocuted by relatives in Pakistan honour killing... 
5. Robert Fisk: "Honour" killings in Egypt are disguised as "suicides..."
6. Man in Gaza bludgeons daughter in apparent "honour" killing...