The heartbroken mum of Fawziyah Javed, brutally murdered by her husband in 2021, has spoken out as the Scottish Government moves to better identify victims of ‘honour-based’ abuse.
Tragic Killing at Arthur’s Seat
Fawziyah, 31 and pregnant, was murdered by husband Kashif Anwar at Edinburgh’s iconic Arthur’s Seat in September 2021 after he discovered she planned to leave him. Despite suffering multiple blunt force injuries from the fall, the brave mum-to-be managed to name her attacker before she died.
The tragic case sparked national outrage over so-called ‘honour’ crimes, where violence is used to defend family reputation.
Scottish Government Acts With Long-Overdue Definition
Now, the Scottish Government has drafted a “long-overdue” formal definition of honour-based abuse. This covers physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and even killings. Officials hope the new guidelines will help police and support services identify victims more effectively, preventing future tragedies.
Fawziyah’s Mum Demands Change
Fawziyah’s mum, Yasmin, vowed her daughter’s brutal death must be the last of its kind. She said:
“This must never ever happen again. Another family cannot go through this. He’s got a prison sentence, but we’ve got a life sentence until our last breath on this earth. For your only child to be brutally murdered alongside her unborn baby, time is definitely not a healer. It gets more difficult as time goes by. Every day is a battle to get through. There is no way to express something as horrific as this for a family. It can’t happen again. It just can’t. It does bring me comfort that this progress is Fawziyah’s legacy and I’m optimistic lives will be saved because authorities will better recognise the signs and protect women and girls.”
Justice Served
Anwar, from Leeds, denied killing Fawziyah but was found guilty after a week-long trial at Edinburgh’s High Court in 2023. He was jailed for 20 years.
