On Friday, an Italian court confirmed two perpetuity convictions for parents that are guilty of having killed their 18 -year -old daughter for refusing an arranged marriage with her older cousin, according to international media.
The body of Saman Abbas was discovered buried on a farm near his father’s work in 2022, 18 months after his disappearance. Police later discovered that the young woman had been murdered by her family. Her neck was broken and the investigators think she was strangled.
Her body was only found a few days after being killed, and even if she was still classified as disappeared, her parents stole from Milan in Pakistan.
Abbas’ mother, Nazia Shaheen, father Shabbir Abbas, Danish uncle Hasnain, and two cousins were also condemned for his murder.
Hasnian was initially sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment but has since been sentenced to 22 years.
Shabbir Abbas was extradited from Pakistan to Italy to serve his sentence, while Abbas’s mother was tried in absentia – and was finally arrested near the Kashmir border after escaping prosecution for three years. His uncle and cousins fled to France and Spain but were also arrested later.
The family denied any reprehensible act.
Shabbar Abbas told the courts at a previous hearing that “never in my life has thought of killing my daughter”.
The life of Saman Abbas
Abbas moved to northern Pakistan Italy in adolescence, where she quickly adapted to Western culture – a decision that would have deeply angry her parents.
According to the Associated Press, she chose not to wear a head cover, and published photos of her kissing her boyfriend in the street.
She had told this boyfriend that she was afraid for her life because she refused her parents’ request to marry her older cousin in Pakistan.
She spent several months living in the care of social services, according to BBC News, but finally returned to her family home.
