The Tradition of Honor of the Turks

The Honor of the Turks and their customs

“Honor” weighs heavily, especially in Muslim families.
The tradition of honor is very valid in Turkey, where the honor killings They are called ‘töre’ (moral) murders. It is especially prevalent in rural areas in the southeast of the country. Punishment is always on the woman only.

Debts of honor arise when a woman is unfaithful, when a girl has a boyfriend without the consent of the family, and a large number of love stories end in tragedy. Although in other cases they are resolved by marrying the lovers who have run away or been the result of a rape, they must stay with their attacker so that the law does not fall on them and as long as both families agree to this union.
Sometimes this can come about as a result of something completely innocuous, such as chatting with a neighbor of the other sex, receiving phone calls from men, or any defiance of patriarchal mandates.

Some of the motives for these murders are:

– Do not agree to contract a marriage arranged by the family.
– Maintaining a relationship without family approval.
– Having sexual relations outside of marriage.
– Being a victim of rape and not marrying the perpetrator.
– Dressing inappropriately (with necklines, short skirts, shorts).
– Maintaining a homosexual relationship.

These so-called “honor” crimes are an ancient practice enshrined in culture rather than religion, rooted in a complex code that allows a man to kill or assault a female member of his family for “immoral behaviour” (actual or perceived).
Islam does not ask for or allow these crimes but neither does it manifest a clear determination to combat them or educate the people who practice them.

Honor killings are considered a family matter and do not reach justice. The few times they go to jail, they barely serve a sentence of three to six months in prison. When they leave prison, some of them are seen as heroes by relatives and neighbors, who consider that they have done the right thing.

These murders are not impulsive acts but rather they are almost always planned in family council. They respond to a moral imperative as the only way to restore the family’s reputation in society and avoid social criticism, regardless of the affection that the aggressor feels for the victim.

“The townspeople agree with the law of men. If a girl who dishonored her family is not killed, the townspeople reject this family, no one else wants to talk to her, or negotiate with her, her family must go!”
**(from an interview with a saved victim)***

Sometimes, the family assigns the task to a minor or makes a minor confess to the crime, even when another performs it, to avoid serious sentences. It is also not uncommon for the mother herself to try to force the girl to commit suicide.
Although the country tries to modernize and adopt more western customs, these ancient cultural traditions are difficult to uproot and re-educate the mentality of the people.

Sources :
Facebook Group Turkomaniacs