The women are killed, police say, because they failed to wear a headscarf or because they ignored other "rules" that secretive fundamentalist groups want to enforce.

The killers enforcing their own version of Islamic justice are rarely caught, while women live in fear.

And tracking the perpetrators of these crimes is nearly impossible, Khalaf says, adding that he doesn't have control of the thousands of policemen and officers.

Sometimes, it's just the color of a woman's headscarf that can draw unwanted attention.