Arizona – Noor Almaleki Case: Hearing for Father Accused in Honor Killing Canceled for Third Time
Category: “Honor Killings”
R.E.A.L. Outreach to Public at CNN Washington DC on Extremist “Honor Killings”
On November 9, 2009, a week after the death of 20 year old Arizona woman Noor Almaleki, as a result of a “honor killing” by her father, Responsible for Equality And Liberty’s (R.E.A.L.) Jeffrey and Karen Imm held a public awareness outreach on the issue of extremist ideological violence as the basis for honor killings in front of CNN’s Washington DC Headquarters.
We passed out fliers about the “honor killing” of Noor Almaleki stating that “ideological violence against women is terrorism,” and we spoke about the issue to the lunch time crowd in the plaza area around CNN’s DC offices. It was evident that many were completely unaware of her story. We urged the public to demand that CNN reports the entire story about the “honor killing” of Noor Almaleki – not the censored version that has thus far been reported by CNN.
In the case of the “honor killing” of Noor Almaleki, the family repeatedly told members of the Arizona press that the reason her father killed her was because of the Noor’s unwillingness to conform to her father’s extremist views, what they called “traditional Muslim values.”
While this was reported by the Arizona Republic and CBS-5, CNN has repeatedly ignored these reports, instead stating this was only due to the father and daughter’s differences over “Iraqi values.” (Note: the Alamalekis have been in America since the mid 1990s.)
We showed example on posters of the differences between the Arizona press and CNN reporting. We urged CNN to tell the rest of the story – so that the public can be informed and address this ideological threat to women’s freedoms before another American woman is killed for failing to submit to extremist views.
We urged our fellow Americans to remember that our shared freedoms for equality and liberty are the “truths that we hold self-evident,” and that no ideology of supremacism has the right to deny their universal human rights to our fellow Americans and our fellow human beings. We pointed out how Noor Almaleki’s friends were afraid to talk about why her father murdered her for fear that the same thing would happen to them. We made it clear that ideological violence to intimidate, to oppress, to deny freedoms — is nothing less than terrorism.
We urged the public to reject supremacist ideologies that seek to deny our human rights, and seek to terrorize women into submission. We also pointed out that while some wish to view such religious extremist violence against women as “isolated incidents,” they are in fact, all connected by this anti-freedom ideology.
We stated that just as we recognized racial violence and oppression in the 1960s (and even today) were not merely “isolated incidents,” but were all part of a larger ideological threat of racial supremacism — so today we must also report on and recognize the larger ideological threats to humanity today when it comes to extremist threats against freedom.
We said that we came to CNN’s Washington DC office to be a voice for those like Noor Almaleki who no longer have a voice to speak, and also to be a voice for people who are afraid or are being prevented from speaking.
We asked people to remember that these victims of “honor killings” are not just statistics, but are human beings.
Pointing to our poster with Noor Almaleki’s face, we urged the public to remember that all of these victims of ideological violence were special and unique individuals who were loved. Moreover, we stated that our human rights are not simply about vague ideas, but our human rights are the foundation of the lives of Noor Almaleki and so many others. We pointed out that our human rights have a face, an identity, and lives that are precious. We urged the public and the media not to forget the face of human rights, as these faces of human rights are also our faces as well, and those of our families, our neighbors, and our friends. We urged the public never to forget the faces of human rights, and our responsibility to each other to defend equality and liberty.
Karen Imm spoke about other American victims of extremist “honor killings,” who are other women who could not speak for themselves today. Karen and Jeffrey spoke about extremist “honor killings” of Amina and Sarah Said in Dallas, of Sandeela Kanwal in Georgia, in of Methal Dayem in Cleveland, in Tina Isa in Indianapolis, and of suspected “honor killing” of Aasiya Zubair Hassan in Buffalo.
All of these American victims of extremist “honor killings” or threats of such ideological violence are the result of our nation’s and our media’s unwillingness to address the religious extremist ideological basis behind such violence, instead of viewing such terrorism against women as merely “isolated incidents.”
Jeffrey Imm also spoke of those who report that they have been threatened with harm, such as Rifqa Bary, in Columbus.
He asked the public if our media and our nation continues to ignore such terrorist threats and violence against women, who will be next?
Jeffrey Imm asked “How many more have to die before we decide to be responsible for our fundamental human rights and freedoms, and before we decide to be responsible for equality and liberty of women in America and around the world?”
Other Reports:
Why Religious Extremist Honor Killings Represent Ideological Violence Against Women
Facebook Page: “R.I.P Noor Faleh Almaleki”
Arizona: Terrorism Against Women — Noor Almaleki Just Wanted To Be Normal
Arizona — Noor Almaleki “Honor Killing”: Hassan Almaleki Arraignment Delayed, On Suicide Watch
Arizona — Noor Almaleki Honor Killing: Father To Be Arraigned, Face New Charges
Arizona: Woman in Suspected “Honor Killing” Dies — 20 Year Old Noor Almaleki
Arizona — Noor Almaleki Case: Arizona Jails Father in ‘Honor Killing’ Try
Arizona: Noor Almaleki’s Lifestyle may have put woman in hospital
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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
R.E.A.L. Blog Reports on Extremist Oppression and Violence Against Women
R.E.A.L. Petition on Extremist Violence and Oppression of Women
U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report 2009 and Gender Imbalance in Human Trafficking
Arizona – Noor Almaleki “Honor Killing”: Arraignment Delayed Again, Friends Start to Speak
Arizona: Terrorism Against Women – Noor Almaleki Just Wanted To Be Normal
— Arizona Republic/AP: “Glendale ‘honor killing’ victim, 20, just wanted to be normal”
— second AP web link to story
— Facebook Page: “R.I.P Noor Faleh Almaleki”
— Other R.E.A.L reports on Noor Almaleki “honor killing”
Arizona Republic/AP: “Glendale ‘honor killing’ victim, 20, just wanted to be normal”
Noor Faleh Almaleki just wanted to be a normal American woman
The striking 20-year-old from Iraq, who’d lived in the Valley since she was a young girl, wanted her hair and makeup to be perfect, her clothes to be fashionable. She wanted a job, a degree and a husband of her choosing.
On her Facebook page, Noor posted photos of herself and wrote: “I am spectacular,” punctuated with a smiley face emoticon. But Noor’s father had a much different ideal for his daughter: a life in strict line with traditional Iraqi culture.
He made her quit her fast-food restaurant job and arranged for her to marry a man in Iraq she didn’t know, according to friends and family.
Finally, police say, 48-year-old Faleh Hassan Almaleki put an end to what he perceived to be his daughter’s rebellious life. Using his Jeep as a weapon, he allegedly ran her down in a parking lot Oct. 20 in what prosecutors are calling an “honor killing” to cleanse what he considered were indiscretions to the family’s honor.
Noor underwent spinal surgery and was in a coma until her death on Monday. Another woman struck by the Jeep, the mother of Noor’s boyfriend, was expected to survive. Marcella Andregg, a friend for seven years, described Noor as independent, but far from rebellious and always respectful of her parents. She said Noor just wanted to live her own life, but that her father wouldn’t let her.
“His whole persona was very controlling, very strong-minded in the ways he wanted it for her,” Andregg said. “He talked down to her very much, made sure she knew she wasn’t good enough and brought a lot of dishonor to the family.”
Meanwhile, she said, Noor “just wanted to be a normal teenager,” and later, wanted to finish college, marry the man she loved, and have children.
Almaleki, who fled after the attack, was stopped at London’s airport and sent back to the U.S. on Oct. 29. He was on suicide watch in a Phoenix jail and has declined requests for comment. It’s unclear whether he yet has a lawyer.
Noor and her family moved to the U.S. in the mid-1990s and lived in Glendale.
In 2008, friends say Almaleki took Noor to Iraq under the guise of visiting family. Actually, he had picked out a husband for her and told her she couldn’t return to Arizona unless she married him. Noor married the man and returned, and friends say he was in the process of trying to move here, too.
But Noor fell in love with another man, friends say, and was living in his home with his mother when she was killed.
About 50 friends and family attended a candlelight vigil Thursday night for Noor in the parking lot where she was run down. Her mother and several others wept as they stood in a circle holding candles, hugging each other and remembering the young woman.
“This was the last place that Noor was herself,” said Andregg, who helped organize the vigil. “It’s a hard place to be, especially for her mom, I know. I just think it was appropriate to be here instead of at a park or a cemetery.”
Despite all her family troubles, Andregg and several other friends say Noor rarely if ever spoke about them.
“She always had a smile on her face,” said Niki Nia, 18, of Scottsdale. “When people weren’t getting along, she would always try to bring peace between them, and I think a lot of that had to do with what was happening at home. She wanted her social life to be peaceful.” Nia said Noor might be in a better place now. “She never would have been able to escape,” she said.
Jim Heinrich, who was Noor’s yearbook teacher at Dysart High School, said Noor affected many students’ lives.
“One of them told me, We had everything we wanted and she had a lot of difficulties and she never complained.’ She always knew her life would be OK,” Heinrich said. “She was one of those people — it’s like her spirit was bigger than her body. You were just very aware that she was there in a good way.”
Phillip Pimentel, another friend of Noor’s living in Japan, wrote in an e-mail that Noor never spoke to him about her troubles at home.
“What I’ll remember and miss most about her is that she seemed happy,” wrote Pimentel, 21. “Worry-free, full of hopes and dreams of the future. Such a shame that such a good person with so much going for herself was taken at such an early age.”
Noor now has a second Facebook page, started by the people who are mourning her death. More than 1,600 had joined as of Friday.
On the page, underneath a photo of Noor shown with a soft smile and her hair blowing, is a message that reads:
“May Noor Almaleki and all other victims of senseless honor killings rest in peace. And may God be the guardian of others who are in danger of sharing that fate. And may we all do something to end honor killings once and for all.”
Other Reports:
Arizona — Noor Almaleki “Honor Killing”: Hassan Almaleki Arraignment Delayed, On Suicide Watch
Arizona — Noor Almaleki Honor Killing: Father To Be Arraigned, Face New Charges
Arizona: Woman in Suspected “Honor Killing” Dies — 20 Year Old Noor Almaleki
Arizona — Noor Almaleki Case: Arizona Jails Father in ‘Honor Killing’ Try
Arizona: Noor Almaleki’s Lifestyle may have put woman in hospital
Arizona – Noor Almaleki “Honor Killing”: Hassan Almaleki Arraignment Delayed, On Suicide Watch
— Arizona Republic: “Glendale dad accused in ‘honor killing’ on suicide watch”
— “A Glendale father accused of slaying his daughter for being too ‘Westernized’ is under suicide watch in a Maricopa County jail, court officials said Thursday.”
— “Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, an immigrant from Iraq, is accused of running over his daughter, 20-year-old Noor Almaleki, and another woman in a Peoria parking lot on Oct. 20. His daughter died Nov. 2 of injuries sustained during the attack.”
— “Prosecutors say Almaleki was enraged over his daughter’s defiance of Iraqi and Muslim traditions. She reportedly had married a man in Iraq but returned to the United States and was living with her boyfriend and his mother, who was the second victim.”
— “Police said Almaleki fled the country after the attack, driving to Mexico and later taking a plane to London. He was detained by British authorities and extradited to Atlanta last week.”
— “Almaleki’s arraignment, which was scheduled for Thursday morning in Superior Court, has been delayed because of the apparent suicide threat.”
Arizona – Noor Almaleki Honor Killing: Father To Be Arraigned, Face New Charges
— Arizona Republic reports: “Glendale father to be arraigned in ‘honor killing’ case”
— “An Iraqi immigrant accused of slaying his own daughter for becoming ‘too Westernized’ will be arraigned in Maricopa County Superior Court on Thursday morning.”
— “Prosecutors say Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, of Glendale, conducted an ‘honor killing’ on his own daughter because he felt she had shamed the family by not following traditional Iraqi or Muslim values.”
— KPHO reports: “Dad To Face New Charges In Daughter’s Death”
— “A Glendale father accused of running down his daughter because she was too Westernized faces arraignment Thursday in Maricopa County Superior Court.”
— “Prosecutors are expected file harsher charges against 48-year-old Iraqi immigrant Faleh Hassan Almaleki in the death of his daughter, 20-year-old Noor Faleh Almaleki.”
— “Faleh Almaleki was originally charged with two counts of aggravated assault.”
— “Peoria police spokesman Mike Tellef said detectives and Maricopa County prosecutors are determining what the new charges against Almaleki will be.”
Arizona: Woman in Suspected ‘Honor Killing’ Dies — 20 Year Old Noor Almaleki
— Arizona Republic reports: “A 20-year-old Peoria woman has died of injuries sustained in what prosecutors are calling an ‘honor killing.'”
— “Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, of Glendale, is accused of running over his daughter, Noor Almaleki, and another woman in his Jeep Cherokee because he was infuriated with his daughter for becoming ‘too Westernized.'”
— “Noor Almaleki died Monday of injuries she received during the Oct. 20 attack.”
— “Peoria police said charges against Almaleki, who is in a Maricopa County jail on two counts of aggravated assault, will be upgraded, though a spokesman wasn’t sure what the exact charges would be.”
— “Social experts say honor killings are an accepted practice in Iraqi tribal society, where family members feel they must kill a woman who shames them by not adhering to traditional Muslim or Iraqi values.”
— “Speaking before a Maricopa County judge over the weekend, state prosecutor Stephanie Low said Almaleki has admitted purposefully running down his daughter.”
— ” ‘By his own admission, this was an intentional act and the reason was that his daughter had brought shame on him and his family,’ Low said. ‘This was an attempt at an honor killing.’ ”
— “Almaleki did not address the accusations and spoke only to ask the judge about getting a court-appointed attorney.”
— “Low said additional family members are suspected of assisting Almaleki in his escape.”
— ” ‘We can’t be naive and ignore that there’s a cultural aspect to this and there may be people who would support him, including his family, but also others who share his beliefs,’ she said.”
— “Citing Almaleki’s flight, Low asked the judge to take special precautions to prevent him from running again. Bail was set at $5 million.”
Other Reports (most recent to earliest):
Arizona — Noor Almaleki Case: Arizona Jails Father in ‘Honor Killing’ Try
Arizona: Noor Almaleki’s Lifestyle may have put woman in hospital
Arizona – Noor Almaleki Case: Arizona Jails Father in ‘Honor Killing’ Try
— Dad held in ‘honor killing’ try
Arizona: Noor Almaleki Case – Father in “Honor Killing” Attempt Captured in UK – Extradited Back to US
Dad accused in hit-run fled to Mexico, England before capture
An Iraqi immigrant accused of running over his daughter for being too “Westernized” fled across three countries before he was extradited to the United States and arrested Thursday, authorities said Friday.
Faleh Almaleki, 48, of Glendale, drove to Mexico the day of the attack and later boarded a plane for London, said David Gonzales, U.S. marshal for Arizona. Almaleki was detained by British authorities for entering the country illegally and escorted by U.S. officials on a flight to Atlanta.
U.S. marshals and Peoria detectives arrested Almaleki on Thursday afternoon after his plane landed in Atlanta, Gonzales said. The suspect had evaded investigators for more than a week.
Almaleki waived his extradition rights in front of a Georgia judge and should be transported back to Arizona within a few days, Gonzales said.
Police believe Almaleki ran over his daughter, Noor Almaleki, 20, and Amal Edan Khalaf, 43, in a Peoria parking lot Oct. 20 because he felt his daughter had disrespected the family.
Khalaf is reportedly the mother of Noor’s boyfriend.
The two women were still in the hospital, with Noor Almaleki in “life-threatening” condition and Khalaf’s condition improving, when police updated their status earlier this week.
Peoria police said interviews with friends and family revealed that Faleh, a Glendale resident, was angry at his daughter for not following traditional Iraqi values.
Noor’s brother, Peter-Ali Almaleki, told a local news station that his sister went “out of her way to disrespect” her traditional Muslim father.
Noor had married a man in Iraq but returned to the United States and moved in with her boyfriend and Khalaf in Surprise. The father was furious about the arrangement, according to the brother.
Peter-Ali Almaleki said their father called home late last week to check on his daughter’s condition but his wife hung up on him.
Buffalo Beheading “Honor Killing” Trial: Muzzammil S. “Mo” Hassan “gets more time to pay for psychiatric expert”
— Buffalo News: “Accused wife killer gets more time to pay for psychiatric expert”
— The Buffalo News reports:
— “Over the objections of the prosecutor, Muzzammil S. “Mo” Hassan today was given additional time to secure the money needed to pay for the mental health experts he hopes will help him prove he was emotionally out of control when he decapitated his estranged wife last February.”
— “Erie County Judge Thomas P. Franczyk decried the “glacial pace” of the defense effort, but gave defense attorney James P. Harrington until Dec. 7 to report on the progress of the defense tactics.”
— “The judge warned Harrington that he can still preclude this line of defense if further delays are unacceptable.
— “Prosecutor Colleen Curtin Gable complained of deliberate foot-dragging by the defense.”
— “But Harrington insisted that, until an Oct. 13 settlement was reached in the Hassan family estate case, there was a problem with ensuring enough money to pay for the criminal defense.”
— “Though the estate case is several weeks away from a formal settlement, Harrington told the judge that Hassan is now assured he will have enough money to finance his defense, including pay for his psychiatric experts.”
— “The bulk of the estate will go to his four children. Hassan, 44, did not speak during the brief court session that ended about 10:15 a.m. Hassan, who has been jailed since he surrendered to police about an hour after the Feb. 12 killing, did not speak at court. Harrington declined comment as he left court.”
Related Reports:
— August 8, 2009: Man accused of killing wife to get mental examination – Lawyers may seek insanity defense
— March 7, 2009: NY NOW President Stands by Statement on Extremist Killings
— February 17, 2009: Buffalo: Possibility of ‘honor killing’ mulled in Orchard Park slaying
