Dubai: An Egyptian public servant has been sentenced to three years in jail for kidnapping and raping minor girls, local media reported.
The man, who was working in a police station, used to stop minor girls on the streets, convince them that he has an effective medicine for COVID-19 and lure them to a remote place and then commit the crime.
In a similar case, a consultant gastroenterologist has been sentenced to seven years in jail after being found guilty of harassing a teacher while treating her inside his clinic in Qalyub city.
Police investigations revealed that the consultant has given the teacher anesthesia while diagnosing her to as to be able to molest her without any résistance.
Over the past few years, Egypt has witnessed a spike in the rape crimes. Earlier yesterday, President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi ratified law no. 141/2021 amending some articles of the 58/1937 Penal Law to curb sexual harassment.
The amendments call for tightening penalties on those who harass others at public or private places.
Under the newly-introduced amendments, defendants will face double punishment in case of repeating the same crime. The law was published in today’s official gazette.
Last July, The Egyptian House of Representatives discussed a report released by the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee regarding a draft law submitted by 61 MPs to toughen harassment punishment in law.
Member of Parliament Ashraf Rashad and 60 others (more than one-tenth of the parliament’s members) to amend some provisions of the Penal Code regarding the punishment of sexual harassment.
The committee stressed that the draft law was in accordance with the constitution, especially Article 10 of it, which states that the family is the foundation of the society, based on religion, morals and patriotism, and the state is keen on its cohesion, stability and the consolidation of its values, as well as the state’s commitment to protect women against all forms of violence.
The committee pointed out that the draft law came as a result of what the current situation results in negativities due to lack of some legal texts that deter the crime of harassment.
The amendments harshened the imprisonment term and the fine imposed on the offenders.
