Egypt imposes new penalties for sexual harassment

Egypt approved new punishments Thursday for sexual harassment, amid rising pressure on authorities to fight the rampant phenomenon. Until now, Egypt has not had a law defining sexual harassment, despite more than 99 per cent of women being subjected to some form of abuse, a 2013 study by the United Nations said. But outgoing interim president Adly Mansour on Thursday approved a decree to make sexual harassment an offence punishable by up to five years’ jail, or fines of between $400 and $7,000.

[The penalties are] not enough for cases involving sexual assaults by mobs.

—Fathi Farid, a founder of the “I Saw Harassment” campaign

The decree defines harassment as any sexual or pornographic suggestion or hints through words, signs or acts. Fathi Farid, a founder of the “I Saw Harassment” campaign that documents sexual harassment of women, said the penalties were of “no value” because they gave the judge the right to choose between a fine or jail.

Sources

Egypt imposes new penalties for sexual harassment ~ AFP News

Egypt’s Mansour issues law for tougher sexual harassment penalties ~ Ahram Online

President Mansour leaves office with a legislative bang ~ Ahram Online

Sexual harassment made a crime in Egypt ~ Al Jazeera

Egypt president decrees sexual harassment a crime ~ Associated Press