Amman -- A Jordanian teenager was charged with premeditated murder for strangling his sister after her husband divorced her over an alleged affair, a judicial official said last week.

The 16-year-old turned himself in to police and confessed to strangling his 30-year-old sister with a wire from a mobile phone charger in Ajlun, north of the capital Amman, according to the official.

"The family of the woman found her in the woods with another man two days before the crime, and after her husband had divorced her because he had accused her of having a lover," he said. "The suspect got enraged and killed his sister immediately before handing himself in to police, claiming he wanted to cleanse the honour of his family."

According to the judicial official "the suspect is likely to receive a reduced sentence after his father dropped charges against him and because he is under 18."

Murder is punishable by death under Jordanian law but in the case of "honour killings," a court usually commutes or reduces sentences if the family of a victim drops charges against the killers.

Between 15 and 20 women are murdered every year to "cleanse the family's honour." Last year, around 17 such killings were recorded.

Perpetrators often get relatively light sentences as MPs have refused to reform the penal code to ensure harsher punishment, despite demands by local and international human rights activists.

AFP/Expatica