Suzanne Tamim

Suzanne Tamim (Arabic: سوزان تميم‎, September 23, 1977 – July 28, 2008) was a Lebanese singer who rose to fame in the Arab world after winning the top prize in the popular Studio El Fan television show in 1996. She was murdered in Dubai in July 2008. She was born and raised in a Sunni Lebanese family.

Suzanne Tamim
سوزان تميم
Born
Suzanne Abdel Sattar Tamim
سوزان عبد الستار تميم

(1977-09-23)September 23, 1977
Beirut, Lebanon
DiedJuly 28, 2008(2008-07-28) (aged 30)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Cause of deathMurder
NationalityLebanese
OccupationSinger

Biography

Tamim's career was marred by rumours of a troubled private life. News about her divorce from her first husband, Ali Muzannar, flooded the Arab media. Tamim later married Lebanese impresario and producer Adel Matouk, who became her manager.

Musical career

After winning a gold medal on Studio El Fan, she was hailed not only for her beauty but also for a voice that was equally suited to pop tunes and classical Arabic melodies. Tamim's last album was produced in 2002 by Rotana and called Saken Alby. It went on to establish sales records. Her last song, "Lovers", recorded in 2006, was dedicated to the memory of slain Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Death

Suzanne Tamim was found murdered in her apartment in Dubai on July 28, 2008.[1][2] Although it was reported that she had been beheaded, the lawyer of her former husband revealed that her death certificate indicates her throat was slit. At the time of her death, she had reportedly been married to Iraqi-born British kickboxing champion Riyadh Al-Azzawi for about 18 months.[3][4]

Murder trials

On September 2, 2008, prominent Egyptian businessman and lawmaker in the Shura Council, Hisham Talaat Moustafa was arrested in Cairo. The son of Egyptian conglomerate tycoon Talaat Mostafa, Hisham Moustafa was charged with paying a hitman, Mohsen al-Sukkari, to have Tamim killed.[5] On May 21, 2009, Moustafa and al-Sukkari were found guilty of Tamim's murder and sentenced to death by hanging in Cairo.[6][7][8] An Egyptian court confirmed their sentences on June 25, 2009.[9] However, on March 4, 2010, the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt threw out the convictions and sentences against the two convicts and ordered their retrial on a legal technicality. After the retrial, Moustafa was sentenced to 15 years. His co-defendant, al-Sukkari, had his sentence reduced to life in prison.[8][10] There were reports that Moustafa had escaped from prison during the 2011 Egyptian protests.

Al-Sukkari, the alleged hitman, was a 39-year-old former policeman from Egypt. He was arrested as the alleged murderer in early August in Cairo.[11] Al-Sukkari, whose name was being withheld, was said to have died in police custody soon after his arrest; however, the police subsequently produced him publicly. The alleged killer—who had apparently confessed to the murder—denied any connection to her death. Al-Sukkari was subsequently indicted, along with Moustafa, on charges of murder and for allegedly receiving $2 million from Moustafa for the killing.[12] On May 23 2020 Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi pardoned thousands of prisoners including a Al-Sukkari, according to the official gazette, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr holiday marking end of Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.[13]

Although Egyptian newspapers initially reported freely about the death, once the case was linked to the businessman the Attorney General's office forbade reporting about the case. An edition of a newspaper that defied the order was confiscated.[14] Five Egyptian journalists were also charged with breaching the gag order during the trial.[15]

In fiction

Her murder inspired the Swedish noir film The Nile Hilton Incident.[16]

See also

References
  1. Agarib, Amira (July 30, 2008). "Lebanese singer found dead". Khaleej Times. Galadari Printing and Publishing Co. L.L.C. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  2. "Lebanese singer 'killed in Dubai'". BBC New Middle East. July 30, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  3. Riyadh Al-Azzawi exclusive interview with "Sunday Times" about the Suzanne Tamim affair
  4. "Troubled Lebanese singer murdered in Dubai". Al Arabiya. July 30, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
  5. "Egyptian tycoon Hisham Talaat Moustafa has been arrested and charged over the murder of Lebanese pop star Suzanne Tamim". BBC World News. September 2, 2008.
  6. "Death sentence for Egyptian businessman behind Tamim murder". Arabian Business. May 21, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
  7. "Death sentences for Suzanne Tamim murderers". BBC News. May 21, 2009.
  8. "Egyptian tycoon jailed for murdering Lebanese singer". BBC News. September 28, 2010.
  9. "Egyptian tycoon, ex-cop face execution". CNN. June 25, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  10. Los Angeles Times article
  11. "Arrest over Lebanese singer death". BBC. August 10, 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
  12. "Egyptian businessman Hesham Talaat Moustafa charged over murder of Suzan Tamim". ArabianBusiness.com. September 2, 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
  13. "Egypt pardons former policeman jailed for murder of pop singer Tamim". Middle East Eye. May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  14. Ulrike Putz (August 20, 2008). "Der Tod einer Prinzessin". Der Spiegel (German). Retrieved August 20, 2008
  15. "Journalists charged for breaching Tamim murder trial gag". Arabian Business. November 26, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2008.
  16. "En salle. "Le Caire confidentiel" : regarde les hommes de Moubarak tomber". Courrier international (in French). July 4, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
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