A German woman’s dream of a romantic life in Egypt turned into a nightmare of captivity and abuse. Lured by a man she met online, she moved to the Egyptian city of Hurghada in 2017, believing she was starting a bright future. Instead, she was locked in an apartment, brutally tortured, and raped for months.
The 37-year-old Egyptian man, who holds German citizenship, is now facing trial in Munich. He’s accused of kidnapping, bodily harm, threats, and rape. On the first day of the trial, he confessed to the crimes. The woman, now 33, traveled to Egypt on New Year’s Eve 2016, excited to build a life with him. But just weeks later, he began attacking her, taking her phone and passport, and locking her inside whenever he left the apartment.
The man, who was reportedly using painkillers, hashish, and crystal meth, admitted to not sleeping for days at a time. After the woman’s captivity was discovered, Egyptian and German police worked together to rescue her on March 17, 2017. Authorities haven’t clarified how they learned of her situation, but the trial is set to conclude on December 17.
