Remember Marwa, murdered two years ago today

Exactly two years ago today, on July 1 2009, Muslims all over the world were shocked by a startlingly gruesome murder. Marwa el Sherbiny a young Egyptian lady, married and having a 3 year old child, and pregnant with her second, was stabbed to death inside a German courtroom by Alex Wiens, whom she was suing for racist harassment.

The details of the murder are unbearably horrendous: while she was being stabbed to death more than 15 times in the middle of the courtroom, her three-year old was witnessing his mother being killed. Marwa’s husband tried to protect his wife, receiving not only multiple stabs from the murderer, but also a shot wound to the leg from the police officer who was called in and assumed that he was the attacker. Marwa bled to death in the courtroom, her husband was in a coma for two days but survived. Alex Wiens was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The judicial system failed horribly in this tragic and shocking case. None of those in charge in that court room were ever blamed for providing insufficient security, or for failing to act when the murder was taking place. Marwa’s family have continued to seek justice, and this website has published news on this before. The press in the Western world also played a very negative role; even though this murder case should normally have been featured on the main news in Germany and other Western European countries, it was downplayed and given barely any media attention.

While Western Europe is increasingly in the grip of fanatical anti-Islamic ideologies, rising to power in countries like the Netherlands and Denmark, but also gaining clout in France and Germany, the media have sought to downplay the significance of the murder of this young pharmacist, despite the uproar in Egypt and other Muslim countries, where she was dubbed the ‘Headscarf Martyr’. Since the motives of the killer were proven to be the result of his hatred of Islam and Muslims, the media and Western politicians have no way to the defend their silence about this case, which should have been made an example of  what fanning the flames of ethnic hatred can lead to.

This is what gives the murder of Marwa it’s political significance, and while the tragedy of the case itself already provides enough reasons to never forget Marwa El Sherbiny, these aspects of the case make it an obligation for all those who stand up against bigotry and racial hatred to make sure that her untimely death will be remembered.

Deeply moved by this case, Doc Jazz wrote a song in order to help keep this memory alive, calling it ‘Song for Marwa’. The song is featured on the website maintained by Marwa’s family, and is meant to be a way to tell the story to those who didn’t know about it, and as a way to help preserve her memory for those who already are aware of this horrible murder. In the words of the song, Doc Jazz says: ‘whatever they say, it wasn’t just a tragedy, but a disaster bound to happen with the hate they breed’. This is why the story of Marwa has a significance which stretches far beyond the tragic loss for her family, but indeed concerns us all. Share the song to spread the word, or at least tell the story to those who haven’t heard it yet, on any day but especially today, as we remember Marwa. Download the song for free from the Soundclick website!