27th March 2025
Today, we have launched our campaign, Somaiya’s Law, a powerful national campaign calling for urgent reform in the legal and safeguarding response to Honour-Based Abuse (HBA) and Forced Marriage (FM). This campaign has been launched on the two-year anniversary of the verdict in the murder trial of Somaiya Begum.
Somaiya’s Law is a campaign to strengthen the UK’s legal and safeguarding response to Honour-Based Abuse (HBA) and Forced Marriage (FM). It calls for ‘Honour’ be recognised as an aggravating feature in criminal sentencing, for mandatory training for frontline statutory professionals, and improved data collection to ensure victims are recognised, protected, and given justice.
Call to Action
Karma Nirvana is calling for urgent action to close gaps in legal and safeguarding responses to HBA and FM by:
- Recognising ‘Honour’ as an Aggravating Factor in criminal sentencing to ensure harsher penalties and earlier recognition of HBA in police investigations.
- Mandating Honour-Based Abuse & Forced Marriage Training for frontline police and social workers to enhance understanding and protection.
- Improving Data Collection on HBA & FM by encouraging the inclusion of ‘honour’ as a factor in the Department for Education’s Child in Need and Child Protection Census. This will support Local Authorities in capturing data on HBA, leading to better identification and safeguarding of at-risk children.
Who is Somaiya Begum?
Somaiya Begum was a bright and determined 20-year-old student from Bradford, studying at Leeds Beckett University while also working as a carer to support herself. An intelligent young woman full of spirit and courage, Somaiya was described as “a blessing to have in my household” and “the light of my household.” She quickly settled into university life, becoming popular with both her peers and academic staff.
In her first year, she achieved one of the highest marks in her cohort, excelling in genetics and pharmacology, where she had a clear gift. She loved Korean dramas and had her whole life ahead of her – a life full of promise, ambition, and potential.
Despite being under the protection of an FMPO, her uncle was able to access her home, ultimately leading to her murder. Her death was preventable, yet the gaps in legal protections and safeguarding left her vulnerable.
During the trial for her murder, significant evidence of cultural dynamics and tensions surrounding Somaiya’s rejection of a forced marriage and the family she grew up in was presented, however the court did not fully recognise the honour motive behind her murder.
This case exposes severe shortcomings in both the justice system’s lack of understanding of HBA and FM, as well as safeguarding professional’s understanding of these issues.