Murder of Heshu Yones

Heshu Yones
هێشو یۆنس
Heshu Yones
Born1986
Died12 October 2002 (aged 16)
Acton, London, England
Cause of deathMurder by stabbing
NationalityIraqi Kurd
CitizenshipBritish
Known forHonour killing victim
Parent(s)Abdalla and Tanya Yones

Heshu Yones (Sorani Kurdish: هێشو یۆنس; 1986 – 12 October 2002) was a 16-year-old Iraqi Kurd from Acton, London who was murdered by her father in an honour killing. Abdalla Yones killed his daughter for becoming too "westernised" and for engaging in a relationship against his orders. He was sentenced to life in prison in September 2003, with a minimum term of fourteen years.

Heshu's case was the first in the United Kingdom to be legally recognised and prosecuted as an honour killing; it led to the creation of a specialist task force in honour-based violence and, subsequently, to the reviewing of more than 100 previous cases of murder and suicide for any indication that "honour" was a factor.