The Egyptian Public Prosecution is investigating the suspected suicide of a university student, after her colleagues threatened to blackmail her.
It ordered on Sunday to detain two students (one female and male) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in al-Arish University, pending investigations into the case.
Naira Salah passed away on Sunday, February 25, having been transferred to al-Arish General Hospital after feeling severe abdominal pain.
Initial media reports suggested that the victim took poison tablets (Aluminium phosphide) to commit suicide after being blackmailed by colleagues.
However, the family of the victim has refuted claims that Salah committed suicide.
The Public Prosecution said on Sunday that its investigations, which included questioning witnesses to the incident and those conducted by security forces, suggested that that victim was being psychologically pressured.
According to the investigations, the female suspect had been threatening Salah with blackmail over publishing messages from the victim’s phone, which were then sent to the male suspect.
The second suspect, in turn, sent it to a WhatsApp group that includes all students of the same year, and said that he has more pictures and messages of the victim (without mentioning her name).
He demanded that the victim apologize to the first suspect over an old dispute, or else he would share more of the pictures to the group.
The Public Prosecution charged the two suspects with threatening in writing to disclose matters related to private life accompanied by a request, charged as “a felony,” and assaulting the sanctity of the victim’s private life, charged as “a misdemeanor.”
It ordered them to be detained pending further investigations, and to seize their and the victim’s cell phones in order to complete the procedures related to them.
The Public Prosecution stressed that the sanctity of private life is protected in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and the law, assuring that it will firmly address any incidents that violate it.
