Representations of Honor

More prevalent in middle eastern countries, honor and shame in such places are associated with reverence of symbols and historic/religious artifacts and holy texts - the most prominent example of this being the Koran. 

Maintaining reverence for the names of the Divine, for prophets - thus also corresponding images and symbols, all signify the community's honor. To desecrate these images/symbols or holy names or texts is considered an insult to the honor of the whole community. Westerners often think that honor-killings happen because of a particular "religion", when in reality it is due moreso to a particular type of honor/shame code than it is because of religious dogma (and if dogma or scripture commands it, that command should be understood in the light of the honor/shame code from which it emerged). 

For example, respecting Mohammed as a prophet of Allah (and the author of the Koran) is so much more than just a statement of faith or assent to a particular religious view. Rather it is deeply entangled in family and community honor. This is why it's not uncommon for families to feel insulted (even resort to violence) if one member of the family/group commits apostasy. But again, the often-extreme social consequences have less to do with "religion", and more to do with the social consequences of the community's wounded honor.