The Wadi al-Natrun Appellate Criminal Court on Saturday sentenced the killer of Karima Awad to death by hanging in the “Monufia Bride” case.
Karima was murdered just four months after her wedding, having endured severe abuse at the hands of her husband.
A marriage filled with brutality, oppression, and humiliation
In its remarks accompanying the verdict, the court detailed the suffering endured by Karima Awad.
It affirmed that, throughout her brief marriage, she was subjected to “brutality, oppression, humiliation, mistreatment, and a complete deprivation of the most basic human dignity” at the hands of the defendant.
The court emphasized the severity of the crimes committed against a young woman who had only been married for a few months.
The court’s focus on the mistreatment and cruelty she faced brings back the details of the incident that took place in the village of Mit Barra, in Quesna District of Monufia Governorate.
Fatal beating
Investigations into the case revealed that the victim had been subjected to physical assaults, which resulted in severe injuries that ultimately claimed her life in December 2025.
According to the lawyer representing Karima’s family, the defendant assaulted his wife twice on the day of the incident. The first assault caused her to lose consciousness, after which he attacked her again, striking her in the chest and head.
The family’s lawyer explained that the victim’s injuries included internal bleeding and a fracture to her sternum (breastbone)—details he cited while calling for the maximum possible sentence for the defendant.
Court’s message
The court’s statement underscored the oppression, humiliation, and mistreatment endured by Karima.
These points echoed the arguments presented by the Public Prosecution during the trial, as it sought the maximum penalty for the defendant, emphasizing a husband’s duty to protect his wife and highlighting how such a crime constitutes a profound breach of the covenant of safety upon which the marital relationship is founded.
Background of the verdict
The court of first instance had initially sentenced the defendant to 15 years in prison.
However, the Public Prosecution appealed the ruling, bringing the case before the appellate criminal court.
During the previous hearing, the court decided to refer the defendant’s case files to the Grand Mufti of Egypt to seek a religious legal opinion (Fatwa) regarding the imposition of the death penalty.
In Saturday’s session, the defendant appeared in the dock, dressed in white prison attire, amid tight security measures, before the court handed down the death sentence.
With this verdict, the case has reached a new judicial milestone following months of investigations, hearings, and legal arguments.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
