MP: ‘My mum killed the man who abused her – but we’d see her as a victim today’
MP: ‘My Mum Killed the Man Who Abused Her – But We’d See Her as a Victim Today’
Labour MP Naz Shah shared her story with Sky News, recounting how her mother endured abuse and ultimately took the life of the man who harmed her.
A Survivor’s Journey
Speaking during an interview with Sarah-Jane Mee on UK Tonight, Ms Shah discussed her memoir Honoured: Survival, Strength And My Path to Politics, which delves into her mother’s experience.
“My earliest memory was of my father physically abusing my mother,” she said.
When she was six, her father fled with a neighbor, leaving Zoora, the mother, to face further torment from Azam, whom she referred to as “uncle.”
“Imagine a 23-year-old woman with three young children, living in poverty, struggling with a language she doesn’t fully grasp, and isolated by her circumstances,” Ms Shah explained.
After years of sexual exploitation, Zoora decided to act. She administered arsenic to Azam, leading to his death. Though she was convicted of murder, she received a 20-year prison sentence.
“She got 20 years because she was viewed as someone who wanted a house, not as a woman trapped in desperate conditions,” Ms Shah said.
The Weight of Honour
Ms Shah emphasized how the South Asian concept of ‘izzat’—or honour—prevented her mother from speaking out. She argued that today, the narrative would be different.
“The idea of honour kept her silent. I recall the jury foreman saying he might not have found her guilty if he knew her story,” she recounted.
Her mother’s actions were driven by a desire to protect her family’s reputation, even as she faced exploitation. Ms Shah believes the justice system still treats women unfairly, particularly in cases of domestic abuse.
“There are groups supporting women in prison who have killed due to abuse, but the system hasn’t evolved enough,” she noted.
A Call for Change
Ms Shah drew parallels to Gisèle Pelicot’s advocacy in France, urging South Asian communities to shift blame from women to men for their actions.
“We need to reassign the stigma. Like Gisèle Pelicot did for rape survivors, we should put the shame on the men who perpetrate harm,” she added.
By challenging the patriarchal notion of ‘izzat,’ she hopes to empower women to reclaim their voices and justice in a system that often overlooks their struggles.
