Honour killing victim’s sister slams new ITV drama starring Keeley Hawes on suitcase murder
THE sister of a woman murdered by her family in a so-called honour killing has blasted a new ITV drama based on her death starring Bodyguard star Keeley Hawes.
The award-winning actress, 43, plays the lead detective in Honour, based on the 2006 murder of Banaz Mahmod, 20, by her father and uncle in London.
She was brutally slain after falling in love with a man her family disapproved of.
But Banaz’s sister, Payzee Mahmod, 30, claimed the two-part drama focuses on Ms Hawes’s character Detective Caroline Goode instead of her dead sibling, an Iraqi Kurd.
She told the BBC: “It doesn’t really sit too well with me that that’s the angle they chose to go with because that’s not Banaz’s story.
“That’s somebody else’s story. This is about somebody who lost her life very tragically.”
It’s not about somebody getting to tell their story. I don’t believe that it’s honouring Banaz
Payzee Mahmod
She added: “It’s not about somebody getting to tell their story. I don’t believe that it’s honouring Banaz.”
She also said her family weren’t consulted by researchers or scriptwriters and found out about the show on social media.
Banaz, who lived in Wimbledon, South West London, was murdered by her father, uncle and three accomplices.
Her body was found three months later ditched and buried in a suitcase.
ABUSIVE MARRIAGE
The murder occurred after she fled an abusive arranged marriage to pursue a relationship with a new man, Rahmat Sulemani.
But Mr Sulemani was an Iranian Kurd, which angered her relatives.
Banaz warned cops her family were going to kill her, but her complaints were dismissed five times.
In January 2006, Mahmod's uncle and father had her raped and killed and she was strangled and had her neck stamped on.
KILLERS CAGED
Her uncle, Ari Mahmod, and father, Mahmod Babakir Mahmod, were sentenced to life in prison in 2007 for ordering the killing.
A third man, Mohammad Hama, who killed her, was also caged.
Two of Mahmod's cousins, Mohammed Saleh Ali and Omar Hussain, also implicated in the murder, fled to Iraq and were extradited in 2010 to serve at least 22 and 21 years in prison.
Another cousin, Dana Amin, was jailed in 2013 for helping to dispose of Mahmod's body, which was found in a garden in Birmingham.
News of the new ITV drama sparked outrage on social media as ITV were accused of whitewashing the story.
Honour writer Gwyneth Hughes has been in touch with Ms Mahmod to offer her assurances.
Ms Hawes said last week: “In a time where honour killings are still rife, it is critical to shine a light on such an important subject.
"Banaz Mahmod's story, and DCI Goode's subsequent investigation, is certainly one that needs to be told and I am proud to be a part of it."
Honour is due to start filming at the end of this year.
An ITV spokeswoman said: "Gwyneth Hughes, who has written Honour, has spoken at length with Banaz's younger sister, Payzee, to give her the assurances she needs about the drama which focuses on the investigation into Banaz's death."
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