Search Results - Shakeela Naz

Murder of Rukhsana Naz

Rukhsana Naz (}}; 13 April 1978 – 26 March 1998) was a 19-year-old British Pakistani woman and mother-of-two from Normanton, Derby, who was murdered by her brother with the help of her mother in an honour killing.

Rukhsana was taken to Pakistan at age 15 and forced to marry her cousin. Back in Derby, she embarked on an affair with her "childhood sweetheart" and fell pregnant. Her family tried coercing her into terminating her pregnancy and remaining in her forced marriage; when she refused they killed her.

Rukhsana's mother and two brothers went on trial at Nottingham Crown Court in May 1999. Shakeela Naz and the elder brother, Shazad Naz, were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Rukhsana's case helped bring the issue of forced marriage to the fore in the UK. Shortly after the convictions Home Office minister Mike O'Brien launched an enquiry, setting up the Working Group On Forced Marriage which, in turn, led to the creation of the Forced Marriage Unit. Provided by Wikipedia