Egypt: Veterinarian caught filming women from behind

Cairo: An Egyptian court had convicted a veterinarian of sexual harassment after he was caught filming women from behind in the streets with his mobile camera, local media reported.

The misdemeanour court in Cairo ordered the defendant pay a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (Dh2,340) in one case filed by an actress.

The man’s unlawful act was brought to police’s attention after Egyptian actress Zeinab Ghareeb accused him of filming her from behind on his smart phone.

Ghareeb said she was walking in central Cairo in the morning one day last May and caught the defendant taking the photos without her permission.

The man denied the accusation, saying he had wanted to take a photo with the actress. However, an examination of his mobile phone showed he had three photos of Ghareeb on the gadget.

Investigations also revealed that the defendant had the habit of filming women from behind without permission.

In recent years, Egypt has stepped up efforts to combat all forms of sexual harassment.

Last month, a parliamentary committee approved a draft bill toughening penalties against sexual harassment to reach four years in prison and a maximum fine of LE200,000. The legislature has yet to endorse the bill.

Currently, the maximum penalty for sexual harassment in Egypt is one year in prison and a fine of LE 10,000 at most.