A 13-year-old girl in Tunisia has died after her father allegedly burned her alive for walking home from school with a boy from her middle school class.
The girl, named Aya, was reportedly burned to death on May 28, according to ryot.org , and had to spend 10 days in the hospital before dying from her fourth-degree burns on June 7.
The country’s news group Tunisia Live described the father’s brutal act as an “honor crime,” which is defined as a killing done to a family member to preserve honor and remove shame from the family. This is usually done when a family member commits an act, legal or not, that goes against local religious or societal norms.
Tunisia, a relatively progressive country, has not seen honor crimes in years. Local residents were shocked and appalled to learn the gruesome act the father committed against his own daughter.
Officials confirm that the father accused of committing the honor crime has been arrested, although there are currently no updates on what charges have been filed against him.
Tunisian netizens and activists alike are taking to social media their anger over what they perceive is a blatantly barbaric act against the daughter. One blogger wrote:
“What happened is an unacceptable crime. Further, the reactions of some people who justify this barbaric act reflect the degree of ignorance that prevails in the country.”
Violence against women has been on the rise recently despite progressing support for women’s right over the last few decades. In a recent Inquisitr report dated May 29, two teenage sisters were hanged from a tree in India after they were raped by a mob that included two police officers. Local villagers accused their police department of protecting the people involved, although recent reports have revealed that some of the perpetrators, including one accused police officer, have been arrested .
Concerned Tunisians are planning to start a march in solidarity for Aya, which will be held on June 19. On their Facebook event page , more than 2,000 people have confirmed to attend the march. According to organizers, the event will be held in protest of Aya’s murder, which they believe represents a society that “continues to demonize the female gender.”
The Tunisian government has not yet released a statement regarding the girl’s brutal death. Activists are currently demanding wider media coverage regarding Aya’s passing.
[Image from Kapitalis via ryot.org ]