Anooshe Sediq Ghulam
Encyclopedia
Anooshe Sediq Ghulam, a 22-year-old Afghan
refugee in Norway
who was killed by her husband, Afghani Nasruddin Shamsi, in an "honor killing
".
Anooshe had been abused by her husband and, with the help of the Norwegian social services, had divorced him and left him while taking the couple's two children, two boys ages 6 and 7. She was afraid for her life and contacted Human Rights Service
for help.
The murder took place outside the police station in Kristiansund
in May 2002, when the two were on their way to court for the custody case.
Anooshe spoke fluent English and quickly picked up Norwegian. Her husband, who had been an army general and came from a prominent clan in Afghanistan's Northern Alliance
, barely spoke either language.
The trial lasted 20 days and Nasruddin was sentenced to 18 years in jail. The two children were placed at a foster home and given police protection, due to concerns that they might be abducted by Nasruddin's family. Nasruddin's family did not come to the trial, though he has a brother living in Norway.
The Norwegian authorities arranged visas for Anooshe's family in Afghanistan
to come to the funeral, but they never picked them up. Apparently they were threatened and feared reprisals by Nasruddin's family.
During the trial Nasruddin testified that he had been a refugee in Iran
and Russia
, but only in Norway did the social services meddle with his private life. Had he known that in advance, he would not have brought his family to Norway.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
refugee in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
who was killed by her husband, Afghani Nasruddin Shamsi, in an "honor killing
Honor killing
An honor killing or honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community...
".
Anooshe had been abused by her husband and, with the help of the Norwegian social services, had divorced him and left him while taking the couple's two children, two boys ages 6 and 7. She was afraid for her life and contacted Human Rights Service
Human Rights Service
Human Rights Service is a Norwegian organisation which was founded in 2001.It describes itself as a "non-partisan independent think tank which work with themes attached to the new multiethnic and multireligious Norway and Europe"...
for help.
The murder took place outside the police station in Kristiansund
Kristiansund
Kristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742, and it is still the major town for the region. The administrative center of the municipality is the city of Kristiansund...
in May 2002, when the two were on their way to court for the custody case.
Anooshe spoke fluent English and quickly picked up Norwegian. Her husband, who had been an army general and came from a prominent clan in Afghanistan's Northern Alliance
United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan
The United Islamic Front , known in the West and Pakistan as the Northern Alliance, was a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996 under the leadership of Defense Minister Ahmad Shah Massoud...
, barely spoke either language.
The trial lasted 20 days and Nasruddin was sentenced to 18 years in jail. The two children were placed at a foster home and given police protection, due to concerns that they might be abducted by Nasruddin's family. Nasruddin's family did not come to the trial, though he has a brother living in Norway.
The Norwegian authorities arranged visas for Anooshe's family in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to come to the funeral, but they never picked them up. Apparently they were threatened and feared reprisals by Nasruddin's family.
During the trial Nasruddin testified that he had been a refugee in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, but only in Norway did the social services meddle with his private life. Had he known that in advance, he would not have brought his family to Norway.