An Italian appeal court maintained its life sentences for a Pakistani couple convicted of murdering their 18-year-old daughter, Saman Abbas. It was labelled as a high-profile honour killing case. The case shocked the whole nation.
The Bologna court confirmed the involvement of multiple family members in the 2021 murder. The murder took place after Saman rejected an arranged marriage to pursue a relationship of her choice.
The court maintained life imprisonment for the parents. The names were Shabbir Abbas and Nazia Shaheen. Sentences for other relatives were also increased. Two cousins previously excused received life terms, and an uncle’s 14-year sentence went up 22 years.
The case, tried in Reggio Emilia, highlighted the extreme violence some immigrant women faced when they tried to challenge traditional family expectations. Saman’s story became a symbol of honor-based violence after she embraced the Western lifestyle.
Following her move from Pakistan to Novellara, Italy, her decision to stop wearing a headscarf while publicly dating a man of her choice, and sharing a social media post showing them kissing, was what allegedly provoked a reaction from her family.
Scientific evidence showed that she died from a broken neck bone, probably caused by strangulation, while her body was discovered buried near an abandoned farmhouse 18 months after her disappearance.
The case prompted significant legal and social responses in Italy. It included a religious order from Islamic communities against forced marriages. The amendment also consists of the 2019 outlawing of forced international marriages under domestic violence laws.
Saman’s parents initially fled to Pakistan after the murder. Her father was later expelled, and her mother was arrested after three years as an offender. All family members denied involvement during the trial that began in February 2023.
This ruling reinforced Italy’s view against honor-based violence while highlighting the ongoing global challenge of protecting women from traditional practices that justify family violence.
The case drew attention to the particular vulnerabilities of immigrant women caught between cultural expectations and personal freedom.