In a legal move our NYC sexual harassment lawyers applauded, YouTube has been asked to remove a controversial video of an injured Egyptian woman being dragged naked through Tahrir Square after an alleged sexual assault that took place during the inaugural celebration of President Abdel Fattah al-SiSi.
Since the posting of the video, seven men between the ages of 15 and 49 have been arrested for the reported sexual harassment of women in Tahrir Square. While it is not immediately clear whether the men arrested are the same as those in the controversial video, the public has already held them up as an example of the ongoing sexual harassment struggles of Egyptian women.
President Sisi’s spokesman stated that “the Egyptian embassy in Washington DC and a number of Egyptian authorities have requested the YouTube administration to remove the video of the sexual harassment victim.” This was reportedly at the request of President SiSi himself. The President’s spokesman claims that the victim expressed a desire to have the video removed from the popular video-sharing channel. YouTube was not immediately available to comment on the matter and the video was still live as of Friday.
This story comes on the heels of the approval of new sexual harassment laws in Egypt. Under this new legislation, passed earlier this month, those found guilty of sexual harassment in any form can be punished with up a fine of up to 3,000 Egyptian pounds and six months in prison. New York sexual harassment attorney Derek Smith is hopeful that the new Egyptian legislation will be applied to this incident. Only time will tell.
The Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC handles a multitude of cases that involve sexual harassment in Manhattan and the greater New York City area. For further information, please feel free to call us at 800-807-2209 for a free consultation.
