Page 25 - Issue 34

ELITE Vol.1, issue 34, August 2021
Vol.1, issue 34, August 2021

Egyptian Parliament Toughens penalty on

Sexual Harassment
Noor Khaled, Sophomore, Economics

On the 11th of July, 2021, the Egyptian a harsher penalty, meaning that they will

House of Representatives approved a draft be fined within the range of 200 to 300
law that toughens the penalty for sexual thousand Egyptian Pounds and/or

harassment. While article 306 of the Penal sentenced to prison from 3 to 5 years.
Code was amended back in 2014 to toughen Furthermore, people who exercise
the punishment for sexual harassment, it pressure or have any kind of authority

became apparent that the penalty wasn’t over the victim, whether academic,
strong enough to wane off this societal familial, or vocational, will face an even

plague. Now, sexual harassment is no longer harsher punishment: a fine no less than
considered a misdemeanor; it has become a 300,000 and up to half a million Egyptian

felony. The approval of this draft law means Pounds and/or a prison sentence of no less
that the penalty for sexual harassment will than seven years. The same punishment

be a fine of no less than 100,000 EGP and applies in situation where there is more
no more than 200,000 EGP and/or 2 to 4 than one perpetrator and/or if at least one
years in prison instead of a fine ranging of them carries a weapon. We can see that

from 10,000-20,000 EGP and/or a 1-2 year these amendments work on creating a
prison sentence as per law number 50 of the safer society by reassuring victims that

2014 amendments. Specifically, any person any psychological or physical damage
who sexually harasses another person using they suffer from harassment will be taken

offensive gestures, verbal, physical, or even seriously as well as discouraging any
through telecommunication means will face potential perpetrators from acting on their

said punishment. Repeated offenders receive vile intentions.

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