Wednesday, February 28, 2007

All Her Dreams Will Warm and Sweeter Be

The killing of Ghazala KhanThere will be no leniency for the murderers of Ghazala Khan. The Danish Supreme Court has upheld the verdicts — and then some — on her murderers.

Ghazala Khan, as we reported last summer, was the victim of an “honor killing” in the Danish town of Slagelse. In a landmark legal decision, most of her extended family was convicted of murdering her, in addition to the young man who pulled the trigger.

Here’s the story from today’s DR, as translated by Kepiblanc:

The Danish supreme court did not hand out any reductions for those nine persons sentenced to long terms in prison for murdering 18-year old Ghazala Khan.

All verdicts were upheld, as were the two deportations. Furthermore, one of those convicted during the High Court trial, although not sentenced to deportation, will now be deported.

The verdict stands: 57-year old Ghulam Abbas, who orchestrated the killing, will stay in prison for life.

Ghazala’s brother, 30-year old Akhtar Abbas, will remain for 16 years in prison, as will Ghazala’s uncle, 46-year old Walayat Khan and another uncle, 42-year old Asghar Ali.

Perveen Khan, 40, mother of four and Ghazala’s aunt, will spend 14 years in prison followed by deportation from Denmark. Asghar Ali, 31, Ghazala’s cousin, will get the same punishment, while Ansger Iqbal, 45, a friend of Ghazala’s uncle, will remain 10 years in prison.

36 year old Ghulam Ahmed, a friend of Ghazala’s brother, will stay in prison for 10 years, and the Supreme Court adhered to the prosecutor’s request for deportation. He avoided that during the High Court trial.

Finally, 30 year old Naweed Sharif, who drove the brother to Ringsted and Slagelse [the scene of the murder — translator] in his car was sentenced to 8 years in jail.

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When I told Dymphna about this story this morning, she said that the last verse of “Danny Boy” started playing in her head:

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You’ll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an “Ave” there for me.
And I shall hear, tho’ soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you’ll not fail to tell me that you love me
I’ll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I’ll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

Ghazala Khan“‘And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be’,” she said. “That’s the effect that I thought the sentencing of those evil people would have on that girl.”

R.I.P., Ghazala Khan.


Hat tip: Pulfine, in the comments.

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3 comments:

dick said...

Well done, denmark. In a world where few can be counted on: we can count on you to act with honor.

David M said...

Trackbacked by The Thunder Run - Web Reconnaissance for 03/01/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.

Paul Weston said...

Denmark is increasingly cropping up with resistance stories. Hats off to them.