In June, Egyptian Mohamed A. murdered 21-year-old student Naira A. In broad daylight he killed her with a knife. The young woman had previously rejected a marriage proposal from A. The brutal act and the trial that followed caused a sensation in Egypt and beyond.
Mohamad A. confessed to the crime in court and was sentenced to death for premeditated murder. The judges are demanding that his execution be broadcast live – as a deterrent. The conviction alone is not enough, according to a letter from the court to the Egyptian parliament.
A change in the law is needed to broadcast the execution live. Recently, a video had appeared on social networks that was apparently supposed to show the student’s murder.
Mohamed A. was a fellow student of the victim. After Naira A. rejected his advances, he stalked her. According to media reports, Naira A. had contacted the police because A. had threatened to harm her.
Messages were found on her phone in which the later perpetrator wrote that he would “cut her throat”.
The case triggered a major discussion about violence against women in Egypt: According to the United Nations, around eight million Egyptian women reported in 2015 that they had experienced violence in public spaces from partners, acquaintances or strangers. The death sentence against A. was celebrated by activists in front of the court.
According to Amnesty International, Egypt is the country with the third highest number of executions in the past year. At least 83 death sentences were carried out in 2021. Only Iran and China carried out more executions that year.
Quellen: “Egypt Independent” / Amnesty International
