Egypt brings in new sexual harassment laws

Egypt has introduced new
punishments for sexual harassment in
an effort to crack down on the
worsening problem.

In a decree issued by outgoing interim president Adly
Mansour, sexual harassment is now a crime
punishable by up to five years in jail.
Until now, Egypt has not had a law defining sexual
harassment.

A 2013 UN study said that nine out of 10 Egyptian
women had experienced some form of sexual assault,
ranging from minor harassment to rape.
Human rights campaigners have describe the extent
of the problem in Egypt as "horrifying".

Incidents have soared in the three years since the
2011 overthrow of Hosni Mubarak.
Under the new laws, harassers face from six months
to five years in prison. The longer sentences are
reserved for offenders who hold a position of power
over their victims such as being a woman's superior
at work or being armed with a weapon.
Presidential spokesman Ehab Badawi said the decree
defines a sexual harasser as a person seeking to
achieve "an interest of a sexual nature".
Repeat offenders would see their sentences doubled,
he said.

As well as jail terms, offenders face fines of up to
5,000 Egyptian pounds ($714; £415).
However, Fathi Farid, a founder of the "I Saw
Harassment" campaign that documents assaults on
women, said the new laws were "of no value" as they
gave judges the right to choose between a fine or jail.

He also said the punishments were not enough for
cases involving sexual assaults by mobs.