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Egypt approves new penalties for sexual offences against women

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ANI Johannesburg

Egypt's interim president Adly Mansour has reportedly approved new punishments for sexual offences against women.

According to News24, until now, Egypt has not had a law defining sexual harassment, despite more than 99 percent of women being subjected to some form of abuse, a 2013 study by the United Nations said.

Mansour has approved a range of amendments following which offences against women will be punishable henceforth and can include jail terms, fines or more.

Any sexual or pornographic suggestions or hints through words, signs or acts are now punishable by imprisonment for at least six months, the report says.

Fathi Farid, a founder of the "I Saw Harassment" campaign that documents sexual harassment of women said that they are of no value because they give the judge the right to choose between a fine or jail.

 

He also said they were not enough for cases involving sexual assaults by mobs, the report added.

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First Published: Jun 06 2014 | 12:19 PM IST

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