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Africa News of Thursday, 9 July 2020

Source: bbc.com

Egypt law to hide identity of sexual abuse victims

A victim of sexual abuse. File photo A victim of sexual abuse. File photo

Egypt’s cabinet has approved amendments to the country’s criminal procedure law that will guarantee anonymity for victims of sexual abuse.

The identities of victims can only be revealed to the court and to defendants upon request, according to the draft law.

Egyptian victims of sexual crimes often face a lot of stigma.

The Arabic hashtag “The Beginning of a Feminist Revolution” was among the top trending on Twitter, with many celebrating the new amendments and calling on more women to speak up about their own experiences.

Meanwhile, a raft of allegations against various individuals has arisen on social media in the wake of mass allegations against a former student who was arrested after public outcry.

The Public Prosecution released a statement on Facebook on 6 July, saying he faced multiple accusations of rape and assault, including of a minor, as well as blackmail.