Palestinian police have arrested a suspect in relation to the death of a 25-year-old gay man whose body was discovered in the West Bank.
Readers are advised that this story contains content about homophobia and violence.
LGBTQ groups in Israel, where Ahmed Abu Murkhiyeh had been seeking asylum, say he had received death threats because he was gay, according to the BBC.
Murkhiyeh‘s decapitated body was discovered in the city of Hebron, and graphic video of the crime scene spread quickly on social media.
It is not clear how he ended up in the city, Israeli news sources have quoted friends who suggested he may have been kidnapped and taken back to the West Bank. However, his family have also indicated that he often travelled back to the area for work and to visit relatives.
Rita Petrenko, from the “Different Home” organization, told Haaretz that Murkhiyeh filed an application for relocation with the UN High Commission on Refugees about two years ago. He was reportedly expecting to relocate to Canada in two months’ time.
While LGBTI groups have shared that Murkhiyeh had previously received harassing phone calls, police say it too early to determine the motive behind the killing.
OIP Staff
0-10-22 10:00am This report has been updated to include updates to the victim’s name which was originally reported as being Ahmed Abu Marhia.
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