Янина Масвада. Источник фото: facebook.com/MichalSelaForum
A 31-year-old Belarusian-born woman, Yanina Maswada, has been killed in Haifa, Israel. She leaves behind a two-month-old son. Her 28-year-old husband, Ali Maswade, is suspected of the crime.
The Michal Sela Forum, an organisation that supports victims of domestic violence, reported the victim’s name. The organisation is in contact with Yanina’s family, who live in Belarus. According to a close friend of Yanina, her younger sister, mother and ill father remain in her home country.
According to local media reports, the tragedy occurred last week on Derech HaAtzmaut Street in the Lower City of Haifa. Shortly before midnight on September 25, emergency services received a call from the family’s apartment. Yanina was found with a serious neck injury and taken to Rambam Medical Center, where she could not be saved.
Police initially did not classify the incident as a murder. However, further investigation and the results of a forensic examination changed the course of the inquiry, after which suspicion focused on the victim’s husband. Police told the court that physical evidence had been seized at the scene and requested additional time to conduct investigative procedures. After reviewing the materials, the court found reasonable grounds for suspicion and a risk of obstruction of the investigation, and extended Maswada’s detention.
The suspect’s defence maintains that Maswada was the one who called emergency services and that the woman allegedly inflicted the fatal injuries on herself. The defence says the cuts on the man’s hands were sustained when he tried to stop his wife. In court, Maswada said he had tried to save her.
Yanina moved to Israel from Belarus several years ago, learned Hebrew, posted blogs on TikTok and YouTube, and pursued creative activities. Shortly before her death, Yanina became a mother. The couple’s two-month-old son was placed in the care of social services.
According to Haifa social services, the family had not previously been on their records. They had also received no reports related to violence or family difficulties.