UK 'grateful' for final verdict in murder case of Rebecca Dykes

Lebanon’s Court of Cassation has rejected an appeal by Tariq Houshieh and affirmed his guilt for “the brutal murder in 2017 of our dear colleague Rebecca ‘Becky’ Dykes,” the British Embassy in Beirut said on Friday.

“We are grateful to all of those who have contributed to the final resolution of this case after many months of delay,” the Embassy said in a statement.

“The British Embassy in Beirut, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and her family and friends, are committed to continuing to honor her legacy, including through efforts to combat the scourge of violence against women and girls, and to promote community cohesion and stability,” the Embassy added.

It also hoped this verdict will “bring some closure for Becky’s family, for the many around the world who loved Becky, and for all those whose lives she touched through her humanitarian work in Lebanon and elsewhere.”

Dykes, a British diplomat, worked for the UK Department for International Development in Beirut. On December 16, 2017 she was found murdered after being strangled and raped by Houshieh, an Uber driver whom she rode with from a bar in Gemmayze.

Her body was found dumped on the Metn Express Highway several kilometers away.