Under a persistent rain, the coffin of Saman Abbas, escorted by the carabinieri, arrived at the Novellara cemetery where a private funeral ceremony was celebrated in the afternoon, with an Islamic rite.
The young Pakistani woman died at the age of 18, on the night between 30 April and 1 May 2021 and remained buried for over a year and a half in a farmhouse near the house where she lived.
According to the prosecution hypothesis, she was killed because she wanted to rebel against her family's traditions and she did not accept a forced marriage.
On 19 December 2023, the Reggio Assize Court sentenced the father Shabbar Abbas, extradited from Pakistan, and the mother Nazia Shaheen, still at large, to life imprisonment, while the uncle, Danish Hasnain, was sentenced to 14 years, while it acquitted and freed the cousins Ikram Ijaz and Nomanhulaq Nomanhulaq.
The burial ceremony takes place in a confidential manner also for the protection of the girl's younger brother, a witness against his relatives.
The rite is curated by Yassine Lafram (president of the Ucoii, the union of the Islamic communities of Italy).
Present were about ten people dear to the brother, a delegation from the local Islamic community, the prefect Maria Rita Cocciufa representing the State and the mayor of Novellara Elena Carletti.
The body is buried not far from the tomb of Nomadi singer Augusto Daolio, in a part of the cemetery where other dead young people and children are found.
The children of the middle school once attended by Saman's brother and Saman herself, Lelio Orsi of Novellara, made a heart of paper flowers for the young Pakistani, who was present at his sister's funeral today.
"They were created by each of us - the children wrote in a letter entrusted by the teachers to the mayor Elena Carletti - and they want to represent our closeness and our esteem for the choice of life, freedom and justice that united you and your sister Saman".
With our hearts "we students of the 'Lelio Orsi' school want to express our commitment to a future of freedom and justice".
Saman's brother, you were a strong and courageous sister
"You have always been the strongest and bravest sister. I will miss you every day, every moment, every night."
The words are from Saman's brother and will be written on a stele placed next to the tomb of the eighteen-year-old in the Novellara cemetery (Reggio Emilia).
The shape of a stylized butterfly is engraved on the stele.
On the tombstone created by the Municipality, simply "Saman Abbas" will be written with the dates of birth (18/12/2002) and death (1/05/2021)
Saman for Novellara: 'it will be a symbol of freedom'
"It is important that it is in our cemetery. I was awaiting the brother's decision to whom we gave time and opportunity to reflect. Novellara's choice is important, it will always remain here, as a symbol, at the entrance to the cemetery, where everyone has already tomorrow morning they will be able to bring a flower, a thought, a prayer. Saman will remain in Novellara as a symbol of freedom and commitment for everyone".
The mayor of Novellara Elena Carletti explained it.
"At the end of December, the Municipality established a budget fund fed by public and private resources, if there are any. Through this fund we have scheduled a training course: the dynamics that accompany forced marriages are complex and operators in the sector must know and be increasingly prepared. Countering it means delving into traditions that are often unknown to us. This course will begin by spring, 25 hours of training, and it is the first act we will do with this fund", he added.
"Everything that happened to Saman and his brother has nothing to do with religion. There is no violent religion in the world, religions are of peace and the presence of all religions this evening wants to convey this. We must defend these values and this thought and to stem hatred and violence".
Thus the mayor of Novellara Elena Carletti in a speech at the Lelio Orsi middle school, attended by the 18-year-old Pakistani girl, whose funeral is being celebrated today, with an Islamic rite, in the town of Lower Reggio Emilia.
In the evening a torchlight procession from the cemetery to the square is planned.
"She was a girl eager to live day after day and to conquer life and love and all the goals we want. A day of mourning is not necessarily one of tears, anguish and sadness", she added.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA