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Paul Schliesmann

Paul Schliesmann, a reporter for the Kingston Whig-Standard discusses his new book, Honour on Trial: The Shafia Murders and the Culture of Honour Killings (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2012), with Joseph Planta.


Honour on Trial: The Shafia Murders and the Culture of Honour Killings by Paul Schliesmann (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2012).

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Honour on Trial [1]


Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

The Shafia murders in 2009, where four women were pulled out of the Rideau Canal in Kingston, Ontario shocked and horrified a nation and beyond. It taught us a lot about honour killings, religion, and the clash between Canadian values and the justice system, and that of, what my guest now calls, ‘ancient concepts of male power and entitlement.’ Paul Schliesmann is a reporter with the Kingston Whig-Standard and has been covering the Shafia murders and the subsequent trial. He’s now written a new book: Honour on Trial: The Shafia Murders and the Culture of Honour Killings. It’s a cogent overview of the murder, who the four women were, the circumstances that they found themselves in, and the three people who were found guilty of the murders under the guise of honour killing. I’ll get Mr. Schliesmann to tell us about the concept of honour killings, the Shafia family, and what this spectacle has enlightened about our modern times and our Canada. In January 2012, Mohammad Shafia, his second wife Tooba Yahya, and their son Hamed were found guilty of murdering Shafia sisters Zainab, Sahar, and Geeti, who were 19, 17, and 13. Also murdered was Mr. Shafia’s first wife, Rona Mohammed. Mr. Shafia led a polygamous household. This is a really good book, reading like a novel in some parts, and an important one about this important story. Published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, visit www.fitzhenry.ca [2] for more information. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program from Kingston, Ontario, Paul Schliesmann; Mr. Schliesmann, good morning.