Family of Egypt femicide victim Naira Ashraf sue hospital after morgue video emerges

A leaked video showing the body of Egyptian murder victim Naira Ashraf has sent shockwaves across Egypt, leading her family’s lawyer to report the incident to the prosecutor general, local news outlets reported on Wednesday.  

The family is taking legal action against the Mansoura General Hospital, which hosts the morgue the body was kept at, demanding an immediate investigation to identify the people or person behind the video, the reports added.

Ashraf was murdered by her classmate on 20 June outside the Mansoura college campus in northeastern Egypt, her killing sparking mass outrage in Egypt and underlining deep problems of violence against women in the country.

The killer, Mohamed Adel, confessed to stabbing her and to slitting her throat after she had repeatedly turned down his marriage proposals.

Adel was sentenced to death by hanging about two weeks later in the fastest trial in Egypt's history.

Ashraf's family said they were deeply shocked to see the video, which was shared online, which shows stab wounds to the victim's uncovered body. Islamic Sharia law prohibits tampering with dead bodies.

The footage in question appears to have been taken before an autopsy with women dressed in white medical coats whose identities are not revealed shown in the video.  

The incident stirred fury on social media and anger from women's rights advocates.

A journalist tweeted: "'Circles of hell’: Domestic, public and state violence against women in Egypt documents shortfalls in Egyptian laws and entrenched impunity continue to foster a culture of routine sexual and gender-based violence in the country."

Controversial writer, talk show host, and women's rights advocate Khaled Montaser slammed the act on Twitter, describing the leak as being "traitorous".

"How has the video of the slain student been leaked from the morgue? Has villainy and meanness reached such a point? he asked.