CBS 5 - KPHO Valley Islamic group: Punish young Iraqi woman's family members

There are alarming new details in the case of a young Iraqi woman who police say was beaten by family members. Court documents show the young woman endured several assaults. Now a Valley Islamic group hopes she gets justice with cultural differences aside.

According to court paperwork, Aiya Altameemi was taking night classes when her father caught her talking to another man outside of school. The document goes on to say he took her home and came at her with a kitchen knife attempting to kill her. Mohammed Altameemi is accused of putting the knife to her neck and leaving a small cut.

Police say the victim was tied down to her bed by her mother. Court paperwork shows that while she was tied down, she suffered epileptic seizures.

The president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, calls this "honor abuse." Jasser says there are many parallels with this case to the 2009 "honor killing" of a Valley Iraqi woman run over by her father for being "too Westernized."

"As a Muslim father, husband and son, there's nothing that offends me more than for families like this to say this is our culture. It's not the Islamic way that I learned," he said.  

He says that while very few of these cases end up in murder, there are many cases of "honor abuse" going on. 

Jasser hopes the legal system makes an example out of Aiya's father, mother - Yusra Farhan - and sister, Tabarak Altameemi.

He wants other Muslim families to know that they can't hide behind culture as a defense.

"I think the most important things are to address the crimes they committed, that they be tried on the basis of the crimes and there be no adjustments or apologetics given for their culture, or religion or whatever. Lady Justice should be blind," said Jasser.

Aside from a previous incident in November when family members allegedly burned Aiya Altameemi with a hot spoon, court records say Aiya Altameemi's sisters broke a glass over her head last March.

All three suspects have been ordered not to make any contact with the victim. Being refugees from Iraq, they were also ordered to surrender their passports.

Copyright 2012 KPHO (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.