Legal Reforms Needed? Four Arab Countries Struck by Dreadful Recent Crimes Amid Calls for Death Penalties

Over the last few days, Arab social media users have been shocked by four different crimes that took place in four Arab countries. Reacting to the crimes that have been unfolding every other day, more voices than ever are now calling on their governments to tighten criminal codes, and to execute individuals convicted of murder, such voiced were supported by the Queen of Jordan.

Translation: "How can we undo this heinous crime? How can we mend your parents’ shattered hearts? How can we keep our children safe from the brutality of criminals who lack the most basic morals? An unspeakable atrocity in every respect. Our hearts go out to you. You are the son of every Jordanian home, and I stand with the voices that call for the fullest punishment of the perpetrators."

Two days ago, Jordanians were struck by a video that showed a 16-year old boy who has been brutally attacked by a group of men using guns and white weapons, cutting his hands and severely injuring his eyes, in what has been described as a revenge crime.

According to unverified local media reports, the teenager's father had killed one of the men's' relatives, a crime for which he is spending time in jail.

An initial statement by the Jordanian security forces has revealed that the main suspect in the crime has been arrested along with four other men and that he already has a criminal record of more than 172 arrests, which triggered more outrage amongst Jordanians who questioned the reason he was out of prison in the first place.

Police investigations are yet to reveal the full story once announced by officials.

However, the graphic details of the crime and the video that went viral shortly before the government took it down and prohibited sharing it via the internet have sent anger waves across the country and the region, as people called on authorities to consider more severe punishments for similar crimes.

Only the next day, Egyptian social media reported the death of a 20-something-year-old woman who had been harassed by a number of men driving a mini-van before she was fatally run over by them. While investigations are yet to reveal whether the perpetrators were sexually harassing Mariam or trying to snatch her purse in an attempted robbery, social media platforms have flooded in calls to persecute the driver and his companions, which resulted in two arrests.

Online people in Tunisia have also heavily tweeted in demand of a stricter penal code after a Tunisian young woman was raped and murdered by a young man who was arrested soon after the body was found. 

Tunisian commentators argued that the Tunisian decision to halt death penalties is the main reason such crimes are on the rise in the country, calling on their government to reconsider the sentence for homicides.

In Algeria too, public outcry has been mounting after a series of murders have targeted women in different areas in the country, especially as bodies of at least four young women after they were raped, killed, and burned.