Egyptian Women Blame Lebanese Murder Victim

For Egyptians, Lebanese Pop Star's Murder Was Her Own Fault

Al-Shorfa article

Last month, a new development occurred in the case involving a prominent Egyptian real estate executive, who in 2008 allegedly paid $2 million to have his Lebanese pop star lover killed. Initially the wealthy Egyptian, Hisham Talaat Moustafa, had been sentenced to death, but after an appeal his was punishment was reduced to 15 years in prison. Many Egyptians, including women, were outraged that Moustafa was getting off so easy, but not because of the nature of his crime. They simply felt that his appeal was an abuse of wealth and power to undermine the criminal justice system. When asked if they felt sympathy for the 30-year-old Suzanne Tamim, whose throat was slit in her apartment, most said no.

It is a cultural belief in the Middle East that if a man harms a woman, she must have done something to deserve it. Tamim, as a popular musician, was often pictured in magazines or on television scantily clad or posing provocatively. Rima Sabban, a sociologist from the UAE explains, “We are very judgmental, we forgot the crime, and we remember how she dresses.” Tamim’s modern, Westernized clothing made it hard for Arab women to relate to her, and incite their disapproval. Yet both Tamim and Moustafa had been through multiple marriages, and Moustafa even had two wives simultaneously. He was married and had three children during his affair with Tamim. When he is criticized, it is about matters of wealth and justice, not morality.

This disconnect stems from the same attitude that leads to honor killings. Women in Middle Eastern countries are typically held to a higher standard of moral and sexual purity than their male counterparts, and are judged more harshly for failing to meet these standards. A commenter on Al-Shorfa, a Middle Eastern news website, wrote, “I think that Hisham should not be executed for the sake of such an immoral woman.” Likewise, one of the women interviewed, Soha Hassouna, said, “I’m glad this happened so she can be an example to our children.” Personally, I find this attitude almost as sickening as the crime itself. Though I am uncertain how I feel about the death penalty, I don’t think 15 years is nearly long enough for Moustafa, especially if he is able to appeal again and reduce the sentence even more. He had a woman killed for expressing herself and making her own choices, and I see nothing about his actions that can be justified.