Child bride tortured and thrown from roof by husband in Gharbiya

A tragic crime shocked Egypt, just a few days ago, when 15-year-old Faten Zaki was brutally beaten, tortured and eventually thrown off a roof by her husband in the village of Kafr Yaqoub, Gharbiya Governorate.

The victim was married at the tender age of 12 with the consent of her mother, who had been granted custody after her parents’ divorce. The marriage, formalized by an unofficial contract, circumvented the legal marriage age of 18.

The relationship lasted for two years, during which Faten was regularly the victim of violent attacks, according to to her mother. The situation reached a horrific climax when her husband, after a prolonged period of torture, ended her life.

Zaki Ibrahim, the victim’s father, demanded a full autopsy and called for her husband’s execution.

Ibrahim revealed to Al-Arabiya that he had been separated from his wife for two years, and had left his daughter in the care of her mother. He was unaware of the marriage until it had taken place.

“I never signed the marriage contract,” he explained. “But it became reality: my daughter got married at 12 and was constantly beaten by her husband.

“My daughter was a victim of the actions of her mother, who married her off as a child, and of her husband, who murdered her.”

Ahmed Meseilhi, lawyer and child rights advocate, noticed that Fatens’ case concerns her family, particularly her mother, who was legally responsible for her well-being.

Under Egyptian law, the mother could face serious legal consequences, including up to six months in prison for endangering her daughter’s life.

Meseilhi further worked out that marriage under the age of 18 is a form of exploitation, and if financial gain involved, the penalty could be more than five years in prison. He noted that if the spouse is over 18, the law prescribes a five-year prison sentence. Charges can include child endangerment, facilitating early marriage and sexual exploitation.

The horrific incident unfolded when Faten, hungry and alone at home, ate a plate of pasta. When her husband, a tuk-tuk driver, returned and discovered she had eaten without his permission, he flew into a rage. He allegedly beat her brutally, burned her with a hot iron, hit her over the head with a heavy stick, and then dragged her to the roof, where he threw her off the building.

Faten was rushed to Kafr El-Zayat General Hospital, but despite medical efforts she died of her injuries.