Dubai police arrest Lebanese man who killed 'girlfriend' after dispute

"While confronting the defendant, he voluntarily confessed"
crime
Source: Vecer

Over the weekend, a Lebanese man in Dubai was arrested on suspicion of killing a woman - his alleged girlfriend - within 18 hours of the crime. 

Dubai Police found the woman's dead body in her flat, and referred the suspect to the Public Prosecution for further investigation.

"Prosecutors are currently questioning the suspect and he remains in provisional detention pending investigation," an anonymous source told local media.  

"The motives behind the murder are still being investigated as more witnesses are to be heard," the source added.

However, the two are said to have been caught in a personal dispute, which is said to have involved controversial Facebook comment the woman had posted, according to Gulf News. 

The horrific incident took place on Thursday after the man entered the woman's flat in Dubai upon arrival from another emirate in the country. 

Following a heated argument between the two, the man punched the woman and broke her nose. 

The violence caused internal bleeding, leading to the victim's death.

Head of the Dubai Police Media Department, Lt-Colonel Faisal Al Qasim, confirmed to Gulf News that the suspect admitted to killing the woman, whom he described as his girlfriend.

"While confronting the defendant, he voluntarily confessed ... that he was under the influence of alcohol and that he didn’t intend to kill the victim," said Al Qasim, according to Lebanese media reports.

Not the first case of its kind

In April, a UAE-based man fled the country after killing and burying his wife in her home in Sharjah's Maysaloon area. 

UAE authorities filed for an arrest warrant against him with Interpol soon after the victim's body was discovered.

In many reported cases around the Arab world, whether it's a case of honor killing or domestic violence, women are physically abused and killed, with many cases going unreported due to social norms and stigmas. 

Earlier this month, a UAE-based woman filed a lawsuit against her husband of four years and asked for a divorce after suffering years of abuse.

According to Emarat Al Youm, the woman worked with her husband for four years but never received a salary. 

After years of abuse, the husband decided to kick his wife out of his house and terminate her contract at his company. Alone in Ajman, the woman roamed the streets for four days and was left starving. Desperate, she went to her husband's office, begging him for money to buy food. 

However, he refused and violently beat her, breaking several of her fingers. The woman was then hospitalized and later reported the incident to Ajman Police.

Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi says 'resistance continues' after prison release

"The resistance continues until the occupation is removed."

On Sunday, Ahed Tamimi - the teenager who became a global symbol of Palestinian resistance after she was jailed for slapping and kicking an Israeli soldier when she was just 16 years of age - was released from prison, according to Al Arabiya.

Accompanied by her mother, who was also jailed at the time, Ahed smiled as she returned to her hometown of Nabi Saleh and was greeted by countless supporters.

"The resistance continues until the occupation is removed. All the female prisoners are steadfast. I salute everyone who supported me and my case," she said after her release.

The Tamimi family are prominent activists, regularly protesting against the illegal and ongoing occupation of Palestinian land.

Hours after she returned home from an Israeli military prison, where she had been held for eight months, Ahed met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

"[Ahed Tamimi] is a symbol for the Palestinian struggle for freedom and independence," stated President Abbas following the meeting.

The teenager later visited the tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, where she recited Islamic prayers and laid flowers.

She also visited the home of a family member who was shot dead in June after throwing stones at Israeli soldiers.

Who is Ahed Tamimi?

The prominent Palestinian activist was 16-year-old when she was arrested during a raid on her family's home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh on December 19, 2017, after a video of her slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers went viral online.

Tamimi was fighting back against the Israeli soldiers just moments after they had shot her 15-year-old cousin in the face with a rubber bullet.

Although he survived the attack, Tamimi's cousin experienced severe internal bleeding and was put in a medically-induced coma for 72 hours.

Tamimi was later indicted by Israeli authorities on twelve charges, including allegedly assaulting an Israeli soldier, interfering with a soldier's duties, and two previous instances of stone-throwing.

In April 2017, Ahed's lawyer filed a complaint with the Israeli General Attorney, accusing an Israeli interrogator of sexually harassing the teenager.

At the time, Gaby Lasky, the activist's lawyer, described the incident as a "gross violation of the law". According to the complaint, the interrogator, who is an officer in the military intelligence unit Aman, had questioned Tamimi in an "inappropriate manner".

Prosecutions of minors like Ahed Tamimi continues in Israel

Despite the international pressure and widespread criticism against Israel, prosecutions of minors like Ahed Tamimi and numerous other similar cases continue. 

More than 300 Palestinian minors are currently in Israeli jails, 60 percent of which face physical and psychological torture, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club (PPC).