Netflix viewers have a new obsession - and it's based on a real-life murder.
Honour, starring Keeley Hawes and Rhianne Barreto, tells the harrowing story of Banaz Mahmod, a 20-year-old woman who was killed at the request of her father and uncle for "dishonoring" the family name by leaving a forced marriage and getting into a new relationship with a man named Rahmat Sulemani - who she was seen kissing outside of a tube station.
Upon hearing about the incident, her father plotted her murder much to the devastation of her sisters, Bekhal, Payzee, and Ashti.
The TV series follows DCI Caroline Goode as she investigates the honor killing that occurred on British soil, hoping to get justice for the young girl.
After watching the two-part series, social media users took to X (formerly Twitter) to leave their opinions on it.
"Honour on Netflix is so sad. I have no words it’s just sad. I would hope if this was to happen today their community would speak up but I’m not sure that’s the case," wrote one user, while another added: "Watching Honour on Netflix and she reported it to the police, even did a statement. Went to the police FOUR times. This was in 2006/2007, and nothing has changed to protect women, and they tried to arrest HER. #netflix #honour #banazmahmod."
A third also pointed out: "As a Kurd, I can categorically say that this is absolutely not part of Kurdish culture. We don’t claim the barbarians that murdered beloved Banaz. Such a horrific story which has shook the Kurdish community to its core. #Honour."
And this user stated: "Just watched #Honour on Netflix, absolutely awful and the fact that it’s based on a true story makes it worse."
David Davis, a member of parliament in the United Kingdom also chimed into the conversation, writing: "People should watch the Netflix series “Honour”. It’s an extraordinarily powerful account of the police investigation into the so-called ‘honour’ killing of Banaz Mahmod, a 20-year-old British Kurdish woman. It’s hard to watch, but important, from a social/policing perspective."
In the series, viewers are given an idea of the events that took place before, during, and after the tragic murder of Banaz, raising all-important questions yet again about gender-based violence as well as the efficiency of the police.
There is even a videotape in which the victim calmly gives a statement at a police station saying: "That’s why I came. In the future, if anything happens to me... it’s them."
Instead, during an interaction with another female officer, she is classed as “attention-seeking, hysterical, self-harming."
"Her own father had just tried to kill her, so... what the f***?" DCI Goode yells at the officer after the 20-year-old's death.
It's a harrowing reminder of how violence against women can be normalized in different and even progressive communities across multiple countries and cultures and the lack of seriousness with which the police tackle the issue.
Honour is now available to watch on Netflix.
