Female Doctor Pushed Off Sixth-Floor Balcony For Inviting A Man Home

A female doctor was beaten and pushed off the sixth-floor balcony of her apartment by her neighbor, doorman and landlord for inviting a male colleague home.

The gruesome incident, tagged honor killing, happened in Egypt last week and has triggered widespread public protest, reported Middle East Monitor.

Three men broke into the 34-year-old doctor's apartment in the Al Sallam neighborhood upon hearing that she was alone with a man, local media reported. While some reports claim she was thrashed and shoved down the balcony, others say she fell during the assault. Her body was found outside another building in the neighborhood.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident, The New Arab said in a report. However, the landlord has denied the allegations that he pushed her to death. According to him, the doctor jumped from the balcony in a "psychological crisis."

The incident has sparked protest, with women's rights activists taking to the streets and calling her murder an honor crime. They believe it was a result of the oppressive social norms, which dictate that it is shameful for a woman to be alone with a man who is not related to her.

Last month, the Egyptian government mooted a draft bill that permits a woman's father, brother or male guardian to annul a woman's marriage. This was met with stiff opposition from women. The Personal Status Law also prevents a woman from owning a house and gives male relatives the power to prevent her from traveling. It also restricts women's rights over their children by prioritizing the father in custody disputes and other matters.

Registering its protest, the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights said in a statement that draft law is a "shocking and frustrating" setback for women's rights that would see female Egyptians reduced to "machines for birthing children."

Last week, an Egyptian man who had killed his sister after "doubting her behavior" was sentenced to just five years in prison. The Cairo Criminal Court heard that Karim had killed his sister Suad by stabbing her in the neck and then trapping her in the bathroom when she tried to escape. The short prison sentence angered activists on social media who said political prisoners get longer jail time than this.