NOVANEWS
By: Mada Masr
Seven people were arrested for their alleged involvement in acts of mob sexual assault and rape that occurred in Tahrir Square on Sunday night, a statement by the Interior Ministry posted on its Facebook page said.
Qasr al-Nil prosecutors are currently questioning those arrested, state-run newspaper Al-Ahram reported.
Several incidents were reported as crowds flocked to Tahrir Square to celebrate the inauguration of newly elected President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
A particularly alarming video began circulating on social media late Sunday, showing a girl stripped bare of her clothes and being dragged and shoved by a group of men until she was able to reach an ambulance.
The group of seven is suspected to have been involved in four incidents of mob assault and rape that evening, Al-Ahram said.
The prosecution is expected to listen to their statements, as well as statements of victims and eyewitnesses, the newspaper added.
The “I Saw Harassment” group, launched to document and lobby against sexual harassment, reported five incidents in Tahrir Square, four of whom required medical attention in nearby hospitals.
The group criticized security forces’ failure to implement plans to avoid such incidents, which have become commonplace in large gatherings for years.
The Interior Ministry’s statement said one officer was injured as he tried to keep the harassers away from one of the victims. However, the group said the officers who intervened did so on account of their “own conscience,” rather than to follow policies or orders by the ministry itself.
On Thursday, former President Adly Mansour approved a draft law criminalizing sexual harassment.
Anyone found guilty of sexual harassment can face at least six months in jail or a LE3,000 to LE5,000 fine. The law’s definition of sexual harassment includes gestures or any form of communication that carries sexual connotations.
