Aqsa Parvez
Encyclopedia
Aqsa "Axa" Parvez was the victim of an honour killing 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."". Her brother, Waqas Parvez, had strangled her to death when Aqsa would not wear a hijab covering. Parvez's death was reported internationally and sparked a debate about the status of women in Islam
.
in Mississauga, Ontario
, Canada
. Her father, Muhammad Parvez, was a taxicab
driver.
Growing up in a Muslim
family of Pakistan
i origin, she was forced to wear a hijab
while out of the house. However, many friends claimed that she refused to wear the veil and would often change her clothing once she got to school and then would change back before going home. Her friends also claimed that she was drawn to Western culture
though her family adhered to a devout form of Islam and that she was not getting along well with her family. A week before her death, she had moved in with the family of a neighbour, Lubna Tahir, to escape tension with her family.
responded to a 911
call from a man who had said he had just killed his daughter. When officers arrived at a single-family detached home, they found Parvez suffering from life-threatening injuries. She was immediately taken to Credit Valley Hospital
and later transferred in critical condition to the Hospital for Sick Children
where she died. It was learned in court in 2010 that it was her brother who had strangled her, causing her to die from neck compression.
One student reported that her father was threatening her, causing her to fear for her life. Parvez's friends also said she wanted to run away from her family to escape the conflicts with them.
. The victim's older brother, Waqas Parvez, who was ordered by his father to not communicate with police, was originally facing a charge of obstructing police and placed in custody. He was released on bail and was ordered to reside with his surety
and surrender his passport
. However, on June 27 2008, Waqas Parvez was charged by Peel Regional Police with first-degree murder.
On June 15, 2010, Muhammad Parvez and Waqas Parvez plead guilty to second-degree murder of Aqsa Parvez, and a statement of agreed-upon facts was released. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment, with no eligibility for parole until 2028.
Many people consider her murder to be a case of an honor killing
, while some Islamic leaders claimed that it is only a case of domestic violence
. Her death has also sparked a debate about the status of women in Islamic communities. Later a statement by her father to her mother right after murdering her was publicized, supporting the honor killing theory: “My community will say you have not been able to control your daughter. This is my insult. She is making me naked.”
A public funeral
was to take place for Parvez at 1:30 pm (EST) at a Mississauga mosque on December 15, 2007. However, hours before the funeral, her family decided to instead have a private funeral for privacy reasons. Parvez was buried in an unmarked grave at the Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton
; her family refused a donation of a gravestone and a memorial made by anti-Islam activist Pamela Geller
.
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
.
Mohammad Alnadui, vice-chairman of the Canadian Council of Imams, called the murder "un-Islamic", and denounced the act "without any reservation".
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. 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."". Her brother, Waqas Parvez, had strangled her to death when Aqsa would not wear a hijab covering. Parvez's death was reported internationally and sparked a debate about the status of women in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Background
Parvez was a student of Applewood Heights Secondary SchoolApplewood Heights Secondary School
Applewood Heights Secondary School is a public secondary school in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and is part of the Peel District School Board. The school serves around thirteen hundred students with over a hundred teachers and school staff...
in Mississauga, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Her father, Muhammad Parvez, was a taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver.
Growing up in a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
family of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i origin, she was forced to wear a hijab
Hijab
The word "hijab" or "'" refers to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general....
while out of the house. However, many friends claimed that she refused to wear the veil and would often change her clothing once she got to school and then would change back before going home. Her friends also claimed that she was drawn to Western culture
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
though her family adhered to a devout form of Islam and that she was not getting along well with her family. A week before her death, she had moved in with the family of a neighbour, Lubna Tahir, to escape tension with her family.
Incident
Around 8 am (EST) on December 10, 2007, Peel Regional PolicePeel Regional Police
Peel Regional Police provides police services for Peel Region in Ontario, Canada. It is the second largest municipal police service in Ontario after the Toronto Police Service and third largest municipal force in Canada with 1,900 uniformed members and close to 800 support staff.Peel Region...
responded to a 911
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
call from a man who had said he had just killed his daughter. When officers arrived at a single-family detached home, they found Parvez suffering from life-threatening injuries. She was immediately taken to Credit Valley Hospital
Credit Valley Hospital
Credit Valley Hospital is a regional hospital located in Mississauga, Ontario. It primarily serves the communities of north Mississauga; the villages of Streetsville, Meadowvale, Erin Mills and the surrounding area...
and later transferred in critical condition to the Hospital for Sick Children
Hospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children – is a major paediatric centre for the Greater Toronto Area, serving patients up to age 18. Located on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto, SickKids is part of the city’s Discovery District, a critical mass of scientists and entrepreneurs who are focused on...
where she died. It was learned in court in 2010 that it was her brother who had strangled her, causing her to die from neck compression.
One student reported that her father was threatening her, causing her to fear for her life. Parvez's friends also said she wanted to run away from her family to escape the conflicts with them.
Guilty Plea
Muhammad Parvez was charged with second-degree murder and denied bailBail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
. The victim's older brother, Waqas Parvez, who was ordered by his father to not communicate with police, was originally facing a charge of obstructing police and placed in custody. He was released on bail and was ordered to reside with his surety
Surety
A surety or guarantee, in finance, is a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults...
and surrender his passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
. However, on June 27 2008, Waqas Parvez was charged by Peel Regional Police with first-degree murder.
On June 15, 2010, Muhammad Parvez and Waqas Parvez plead guilty to second-degree murder of Aqsa Parvez, and a statement of agreed-upon facts was released. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment, with no eligibility for parole until 2028.
Reaction
Parvez's death has also revived the story of the similar honor 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 honor killing
Honor killing
An honor killing or honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community...
, while some Islamic leaders claimed that it is only a case of domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. Her death has also sparked a debate about the status of women in Islamic communities. Later a statement by her father to her mother right after murdering her was publicized, supporting the honor killing theory: “My community will say you have not been able to control your daughter. This is my insult. She is making me naked.”
A public funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
was to take place for Parvez at 1:30 pm (EST) at a Mississauga mosque on December 15, 2007. However, hours before the funeral, her family decided to instead have a private funeral for privacy reasons. Parvez was buried in an unmarked grave at the Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton
Brampton
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
; her family refused a donation of a gravestone and a memorial made by anti-Islam activist Pamela Geller
Pamela Geller
Pamela Geller is an American blogger, author, political activist, and commentator. She is known primarily for her criticisms of Islam and opposition to Muslim activities and causes, such as the proposed construction of an Islamic community center near the former site of the World Trade Center...
.
Syed Soharwardy, the head imam at the Calgary Islamic Centre and national president of Islamic Supreme Council of Canada
Islamic Supreme Council of Canada
Islamic Supreme Council of Canada is a Canadian Muslim organization based in Calgary, Alberta. It was founded in 2000 by Imam Syed Soharwardy with the aims of fostering Canadian understanding of Islam, contributing to society in general, guiding Canadian institutions on the needs of Muslims,...
, went on a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
for two days to denounce family violence, which he described as completely against the teachings of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Mohammad Alnadui, vice-chairman of the Canadian Council of Imams, called the murder "un-Islamic", and denounced the act "without any reservation".
