2014
December 1: Ibolya Ryan, an American schoolteacher, is murdered in a toilet cubicle in Boutik Mall, Abu Dhabi
December 4: Arrest of suspect announced by Minister of Interior
2015
March 23: First procedural hearing held in State Security Court of the Federal Supreme Court. Defence appeals for visiting rights for the defendant’s family to her jail. Court grants visiting rights
April 6: Second hearing held. Ala’a Al Hashemi denies all charges and says she suffers from mental illness, has visions and asks for psychological help
April 14: Third hearing held. Evidence [of murder] displayed that include video footage of Ala’a entering the mall.
April 21: Decision to have Ala’a undergo a mental fitness assessment by a medical committee. Witnesses due to appear fail to be present in court
April 27: Witness testimonies heard — two women, mall’s security guard, the American-Egyptian doctor and his son
May 18: Judge asks for victim’s family to be present — they abstain from attending.
May 25: Medical report issued and Public Prosecution argument heard. Ala’a is pronounced to be “responsible for her actions” and not suffering from any mental illness
June 6: Ala’a’s lawyer appeals for postponement and asks for more time to prepare. Second medical referral appeal rejected by judge
July 16: Defence argument heard. It argues that the defendant had been forced to sign papers of her confession without reading what was written in them
July 29: Verdict announced
