Murder of Aqsa Parvez

Aqsa Parvez
Born April 22, 1991
Died December 10, 2007(2007-12-10) (aged 16)
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Cause of death Murder by strangulation
Resting place Meadowvale Cemetery, Brampton
Education High school student at Applewood Heights Secondary School
Parent(s)
  • Muhammad Parvez (father)

Aqsa "Axa" Parvez (April 22, 1991 – December 10, 2007) was the victim of a murder in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. During the murder trial, Superior Court Justice Bruce Durno acknowledged the slaying as an honour killing, stating, that he found it "profoundly disturbing that a 16-year-old could be murdered by a father and brother for the purpose of saving family pride, for saving them from what they perceived as family embarrassment".[1] Aqsa's brother, Waqas, had strangled her to death when she chose to not wear a hijab covering. Parvez's death was reported internationally and sparked a debate about the status of women in Islam.[2]

Muhammad Parvez died of natural causes in February 2017 while in custody.[3]

Background

Parvez was a student of Applewood Heights Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Her father, Muhammad Parvez, was a taxicab driver.[4] She grew up in a Muslim family of Pakistani origin. A week before her death, she had moved in with the family of a neighbour, Lubna Tahir, to escape tension with her family.[5][6]

Murder

Around 8 am (EST) on December 10, 2007, Peel Regional Police responded to a 911 call from a man who had said he had just killed his daughter.[7] When officers arrived at a single-family detached home, they found Parvez suffering from life-threatening injuries.[5] She was immediately taken to Credit Valley Hospital and later transferred in critical condition to the Hospital for Sick Children where she died.[5] It was learned in court in 2010 that it was her brother who had strangled her, causing her to die from neck compression.[4]

One student reported that her father was threatening her, causing her to fear for her life.[4] Parvez's friends also said she wanted to run away from her family to escape the conflicts with them.[8]

Guilty plea

Muhammad Parvez was charged with second-degree murder and denied bail.[9] The victim's older brother, Waqas Parvez, who was ordered by his father to not communicate with police,[4] was originally facing a charge of obstructing police and placed in custody.[9] He was released on bail and was ordered to reside with his surety and surrender his passport.[10] However, on June 27, 2008, Waqas Parvez was charged by Peel Regional Police with first-degree murder.[11]

On June 15, 2010, Muhammad Parvez and Waqas Parvez pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Aqsa Parvez, and a statement of agreed-upon facts was released.[12] Both were sentenced to life imprisonment, with no eligibility for parole until 2028.[13]

Reaction

Parvez's death has also revived the story of the similar honour killing that happened in 1989 in which Zein Isa killed his 16-year-old daughter, Tina.

Many people consider her murder to be a case of an honour killing, while some Islamic leaders claimed that it is only a case of domestic violence.[14] Her death has also sparked a debate about the status of women in Islamic communities.[2] A statement her father made to her mother immediately after the crime was later cited in support of the honour killing theory: “My community will say you have not been able to control your daughter. This is my insult. She is making me naked.”[15]

A public funeral was to take place for Parvez at 1:30 pm (EST) at a Mississauga mosque on December 15, 2007.[16] However, hours before the funeral, her family decided to instead have a private funeral for privacy reasons.[2] Parvez was buried at the Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton; her family refused a donation of a gravestone and a memorial made by anti-Islam activist Pamela Geller.[17]

Syed Soharwardy, the head imam at the Calgary Islamic Centre and national president of Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, went on a hunger strike for two days to denounce family violence, which he described as completely against the teachings of Islam.[18]

Mohammad Alnadui, vice-chairman of the Canadian Council of Imams, called the murder "un-Islamic", and denounced the act "without any reservation".[19][20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Father, son plead guilty to Aqsa Parvez murder". CBC. 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mourners upset at decision to cancel public funeral for slain Ont. girl". CBC. 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  3. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/muhammad-parvez-killer-daughter-hijab-clash-1.4002891
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Autopsy shows teen died from 'neck compression'". CTV. 2007-12-12. Archived from the original on 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  5. 1 2 3 "Teen tried to leave strict family". The Globe and Mail. 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  6. ↑ "Aqsa parvez mourned". The Edmonton Journal. 2007-12-16. Archived from the original on 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  7. ↑ Wingrove, Josh; Wilkes, Jim; Mitchell, Bob (2007-12-12). "Teen died of strangulation". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  8. ↑ "Teen dead after alleged attack by father". CBC. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  9. 1 2 "Clash between traditional values, modern culture may be behind teen's death". CBC. 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
  10. ↑ "Brother charged with obstruction after Mississauga teen's death gets bail". CBC. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  11. ↑ "Brother charged with murder in apparent hijab killing". Canada.com. 2008-06-27. Archived from the original on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  12. ↑ "Father, son plead guilty to Aqsa Parvez murder". CBC. 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  13. ↑ "Aqsa Parvez's father, brother get life sentences". CBC News. 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  14. ↑ "Muslim leaders say teen's killing was domestic violence". CBC. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  15. ↑ NewsReal Blog, 17 June 2010
  16. ↑ "Aqsa Parvez funeral made private". National Post. 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  17. ↑ "Family refuses memorial for Aqsa". Toronto Sun. 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2009-07-25.
  18. ↑ "Calgary imam goes on hunger strike". Calgary Sun. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  19. ↑ "Teen's death had nothing to do with Islam: Imam". CTV. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  20. ↑ "Muslim leaders defend faith". London Free Press. 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
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