Berlin–Germany’s Minister of Justice for Saxony Jurgin Martins announced that his ministry intends to commemorate the death of Marwa el-Sherbini, an Egyptian pharmacist killed in a courtroom in Dresden one year ago. The ministry plans hold a ceremony with the victim’s family.
The date of the ceremony will be set by the lawyer of Elwy Ali Okaz, el-Sherbini’s husband, who is currently in London. According to the ministry, Ali Okaz will not be able to attend the ceremony, which has forced the justice minister to limit the event to a silent vigil.
Menawhile, Germany’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the defendant, Alex Wiens, against a life sentence for stabbing el-Sherbini to death in the Dresden courtroom while she testified against him for hate speech.
Khaled Abu Bakr, lawyer for el-Sherbini’s family, said the ruling was expected. In a phone call to Al-Masry Al-Youm from Paris, Abu Bakr added that his clients are seeking punishment for everybody who failed to provide protection for the victim and her unborn baby, which is the duty of Saxony’s justice ministry.
Abu Bakr declared they will resort to international arbitration since the case has been shelved by Germany’s judiciary. He invited the Egyptian embassy in Germany to boycott the ceremony, slated for 1 July.
“Participation will damage our legal standing and will form an implicit reconciliation with parties that were delinquent in providing protection for Marwa,” he stressed, “El-Sherbini’s family will never accept financial compensation from Germany. We could have restored all our rights if the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been more cooperative. The family is fighting on its own, while the murderer is enjoying the support of some German individuals and institutions.”
Translated from the Arabic Edition
