CAIRO: An Egyptian tailor in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 60 lashes after he was found guilty of sexually harassing a Saudi woman.
The woman’s father filed a complaint accusing the tailor of sexually harassing his daughter by inappropriately touching certain parts of her body as he was taking her measurements.
The defendant did not object to the court’s verdict. However, Secretary General of the Egyptian Organization of Human Rights, Hafez Abou Saeda, told independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm that Egyptian authorities should intervene and stop this verdict from being implemented as these types of accusations are usually fabricated.
Abou Saeda specifically objects to the physical penalty – 60 lashes – deeming it a violation of human rights.
However, other human rights activists said that the perpetrator has to be punished and justice has to be served, otherwise it will be a violation of the victim’s rights. Gamal Eid, executive director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information, said they will intervene if legal action isn’t taken.
