Dutch Prosecutors Seek 18 Years for Alleged Honor Killing of Moroccan-Dutch Man

Karim was stabbed at the door of the apartment where he lived with his wife, who is Taoufik E.’s sister, on Erasmusweg in The Hague. He succumbed to his serious injuries after being transferred to the hospital. Taoufik and his co-defendant Ismaël were arrested four months after this violent assault. Since then, the two suspects have been blaming each other for the knife attack that cost Karim his life.

Taoufik and his father did not agree with the union of their sister and daughter with Karim. The couple has a young daughter. "Karim had done nothing wrong. He had simply found love with Taoufik E.’s sister, but this was not accepted by his family. Karim’s death remains senseless," said the prosecutor. On February 26, 2023, Taoufik and Ismaël went to Karim’s home three times to give him a beating. But things seem to have gone wrong. The victim received a single stab wound that hit his stomach, liver, intestines and a kidney. After their crime, Taoufik E. would have given 800 euros to Ismaël H. to buy his silence.

Taoufik E.’s sister and Karim’s partner was not present at Wednesday’s hearing. Her statement was read aloud: "The pain I feel is indescribable. Karim was a loving parent and someone I wanted to share my life with. What makes things even more difficult is that my brother is involved. I choose to forgive him. I believe in the power of family and reconciliation. Our children have already had enough difficulties, I don’t want them to lose their uncle too." However, her lawyer is demanding compensation of around 150,000 euros.

As for Karim’s parents, they are demanding around 40,000 euros. "You have broken our family," Karim’s mother told the defendants. "Yes, I am responsible for Karim’s death, but I did not stab him. I didn’t want to," regretted Taoufik, who was full of apologies. For the prosecution, the two men are guilty of a crime: "There was a plan... This is a kind of honor crime where the family could not accept that the sister had a disapproved relationship." That is why he requested 18 years in prison for the two defendants.