Brothers sentenced to 6 years in prison for anti-Arab attack against Mississauga man
Posted May 9, 2023 2:12 pm.
Last Updated May 9, 2023 2:42 pm.
Two brothers convicted of beating two Muslim men four years ago in Mississauga have been sentenced to six years in prison.
Janis Corhamzic and Adem Corhamzic were found guilty of assault and aggravated assault in the July 2018 incident.
The family of Mohammad Abu-Marzouk, who was 39 at the time, says his wife and children witnessed the traumatizing attack, which left him with life-threatening injuries.
Marzouk and a family friend both had anti-Arab slurs hurled at them during the assault, and the judge in the case said hate motivation was a factor in the sentencing.
Marzouk, now 43, suffered a dozen skull fractures and brain bleeding due to the vicious attack. The court also heard that the two brothers kicked Marzouk’s wife, Diana Attar.
A Peel Regional Police officer later told an Ontario court it was one of the most violent things he had ever seen.
A fundraiser through “LaunchGood,” a platform specifically for the Muslim community, has raised over $109,000 (USD) since its launch in 2018.
Wife speaks out following sentencing
A statement from the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) is calling for a support fund for victims of hate-motivated crimes at the federal level.
“We note the sentencing. This is one long-awaited step in the Abu Marzouk and Yucel families’ journey toward healing. The unfortunate reality is that these families are not alone,” said NCCM Chief Operating Officer Nadia Hasan.
“The latest statistics illustrate the alarmingly consistent rise in hate-motivated crimes in Canada. Just within the last few weeks, we saw a number of attacks on Muslim communities. We know there is still much more to do to eradicate anti-Arab racism, Islamophobia and hate in Canada.”
Attar said no sentence can undo the harm the family has endured.
“We are glad this is over and that our family can move on towards the road to healing,” Attar said in a statement.
“We are also glad the judge considered the ongoing harm that our family has suffered and the hatred that motivated the violence.”
Marzouk also spoke to reporters outside the courthouse Tuesday.
“I’m happy that justice has been served. It’s a chapter in my life that I try to close… it’s not easy,” he said.
