Man in Jordan arrested after stabbing wife outside Sharia court

A man in Jordan was arrested on Monday after stabbing his wife outside an Islamic legal court which they were attending to settle family matters.

The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, stabbed his wife outside Karak Sharia Court.

She was taken to the hospital shortly after the attack and admitted to the intensive care unit. 

Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi told Jordan Times that the woman was currently recovering and is in "fair condition."

She sustained wounds in the back, chest and right hand, according to a staff member at Al Karak Public Hospital.

The attacker has since been arrested, and the incident is being investigated by the police, Sartawi added.

Activists have highlighted the need for stronger laws protecting women as incidents of femicide continue across Jordan and the wider Middle East.

Last week, Jordan's High Criminal Court sentenced a 50-year-old to death for stabbing his ex-wife outside the Northern Rusaifa Sharia Court.

In June, 18-year-old nursing student Iman Arsheed was shot dead by a man on campus. Following her death, many people called for harsh punishments, including the death penalty, for perpetrators of femicide.

In recent weeks, numerous murders of women have caused shock and outrage across the Arab world, and brought the issue of violence against women to the spotlight.