A joyride gone tragically wrong, claimed the father, Mohammad Shafia, 58, who reported the disappearance. An "honor killing," prosecutors allege. A murder trial is under way, heating up a national debate about how to better absorb immigrants into the Canadian cultural mainstream.
The prosecution accuses Afghan-born Shafia, his wife, and their 20-year-old son of killing the daughters because they dishonored the family by defying its disciplinarian rules on dress, dating, socializing and going online. The older victim was Shafia's first wife, Rona Amir Mohammad, who was living with him and his second wife, Tooba Mohammad Yahya, 41, in Montreal. It was a polygamous relationship, the court has been told, and if revealed, could have resulted in their deportation.
The parents and son, Hamed, have pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder.
Text and Images: AP
Image: In this undated picture provided by Frontenac County Court via The Canadian Press, Sahar Shafia takes a picture of herself with a mobile phone. Authorities have accused Afghan-born Mohammad Shafia, his wife, Tooba Mohammad Yahya, and 20-year-old son, Hamed Shafia, of killing Sahar and two other daughters because they dishonored the family by adopting such habits as dating and wearing revealing clothes.
