The 44-year-old father is sentenced to life imprisonment and the 23-year-old brother to 16 years in prison. They are also convicted of gross violation of the peace of the grave.
The mother, who was also charged with murder, is acquitted, however. The reason is that, according to the court, it cannot be ruled out that she tried to stop the murder, but was prevented from doing so by the father.
Although much suggests that she knew about the plan to kill her daughter when the family went for a drive, it is not difficult to imagine that she later changed her mind, the court believes.
Higher penalty value
The young woman was strangled with her own scarf.
It is "obviously difficult for a mother to see her daughter being strangled before her eyes", writes the Växjö District Court in the judgment.
According to the district court, it was an honor killing.
The investigation has shown that the 22-year-old woman had married without her father's consent. And the honor motive makes the penalty value higher, notes the court.
"Apart from the honor motive, it is very aggravating that the crime was directed against a close relative who was in a vulnerable position. She was lured out on a car ride where the crime was committed", says Conny Jörneklint, former chief judge, in a press release.
Technical evidence
The father has denied any involvement in the event, while the older brother has admitted to strangling the 22-year-old – after being prompted to do so by the father.
In assessing the brother's penalty, the court has taken into account that he has contributed to the investigation and that he was under strong influence from his father, as part of the culture and morality that prevailed within the family.
Prosecutor Anna-Karin von Schoultz says she is largely satisfied with the judgment and that the district court finds it established that there was an honor motive.
She has not taken a stance on whether the acquittal of the mother will be appealed.
I haven't had time to get into how the court has reasoned to be able to make an assessment of the scope for appeal, she says.
The brother's lawyer Tomas Malm cannot say whether the judgment will be appealed.
I haven't gone through the nearly 500-page judgment yet. The only thing I can note with some satisfaction is that a limited sentence has been imposed, which is also somewhat lower on the penalty scale, he says.
