The murder happened in Pakistan 6 years ago. The victim was 26-year-old Kandil Baloch (her normal name was Faouza Asim), a beautiful woman known in the country and nicknamed "Kim Kardashian of Pakistan".
The perpetrator was her own brother, Mohammad Wasim, who immediately came out and admitted his act and proudly said that he was his sister's killer out of honor.
Faouza was active on Pakistani social media and always appeared well-groomed, with make-up in poses, some of which shocked and strangled her own brother.
"I did it for her unacceptable behavior," he had said in his apology at the first instance trial, and the court had sentenced him to life. But things changed in the court of appeals.
"He was acquitted of all charges" by a court in the eastern city of Multan, Sardar Mehbub's lawyer told AFP, without elaborating. The reasoning of the court decision has not been published yet.
The murder of the young woman has caused shock in Pakistan, where hundreds of women are murdered every year by their relatives, under the pretext that they have tarnished the family honor.
In a recent amendment to Pakistani law, the parents of a victim of honor crime can no longer pardon her killer, who is often a family member, something that was previously allowed. However, the competent judge of the case can always choose not to keep the meaning of price between the charges and in this case the killer can ask for his acquittal.
In the first phase, Kandil Baloch's parents had assured that they would not "forgive" their son before he repented.
A mother's lawyer said she had given her "consent" to pardon their son, according to Shafdar Shah's lawyer.
Muhammad Wassim is expected to be released in the coming days, having spent six years in prison.
Baluch was born in 1990 in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. She came from a poor family, while before she became an adult she married a relative of hers on her mother's side, whom she divorced after a short time, accusing him of abuse. From her marriage she had a child.
She became known to the general public of her country in 2013, thanks to a failed audition for the musical reality show Pakistan Idol. This was followed by her appearances in music videos, fashion shows and TV shows, while at the same time she was extremely popular on Social Media. At the same time, she used her recognizability to criticize discrimination against women in Pakistan, while in June 2016 her meeting with a well-known mufti provoked various reactions. At the same time, she publicly expressed concern for her safety.
Baloch was killed on the night of July 15, 2016 by one of her brothers, at their parents' home in the city of Multan. Her death was caused by strangulation. Her brother confessed to the act, citing "reasons of honor", while saying he was proud, while it was reported that her other brother was also present at the incident. Instead, her parents condemned the murder and demanded that their son be punished. However, in 2019 the parents publicly forgave their sons, a fact that under Pakistani law may lead to the release of the perpetrators.
Her assassination was condemned by the international media and various personalities, while in Pakistan the reactions were mixed. In 2017, it aired on Pakistani television station Urdu 1, a drama series dedicated to Baloch's life starring popular Pakistani actress Saba Kamar.
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