Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi signed Law 185 of 2023 on Tuesday to amend some provisions of the penal code to impose stricter penalties for sexual harassment.
According to the first paragraph of the amended article, individuals engaging in sexual or obscene insinuations towards others in public or private spaces shall face imprisonment for a minimum of two years and a maximum of four years. Alternatively, a fine ranging from a minimum of 100,000 to a maximum of EGP 200,000, or a combination of both penalties, may be imposed.
This applies to actions involving sexual or pornographic suggestions through gestures, words, or deeds, utilizing various communication methods, including wired, wireless, electronic, or any other technological means.
The second paragraph of the article specifies that the punishment shall be imprisonment for a period not less than three years and not exceeding five years, with a fine of no less than EGP 200,000 and not exceeding EGP 300,000.
One of these penalties may be applied if the crime is committed in the workplace, on public transportation, involves two or more individuals, if the perpetrator is carrying a weapon, or if the act is repeated through the pursuit and stalking of the victim.
If two or more aggravating circumstances outlined in the second paragraph of this article are present, the minimum prison sentence is four years. In the case of recurrence, imprisonment and fine penalties are doubled within their respective minimum and maximum limits.
According to the amendment, if the offender falls within the categories specified in the second paragraph, holds functional, familial, or educational authority over the victim, has applied any form of pressure that allows them to exploit the situation, if the crime occurs in the workplace, on public transportation, involves two or more individuals, or if the perpetrator is armed, the penalty will be imprisonment for a minimum of seven years.
However, if two or more aggravating circumstances outlined in this paragraph are present, the penalty increases to imprisonment for a minimum of 10 years.
The law was published in the official gazette on Tuesday.
