New bill combating prostitution to be introduced

CAIRO – 15 October 2017: A member of the House of Representatives and of the Health Committee, Shadia Thabet, will introduce a new bill combating prostitution in the coming meeting of the House of Representatives.

The new 15-article bill will cancel Law No. 10/1961 on Combating Prostitution as developments in modern society outweigh those of 1961.

The new law introduces penalties against whoever uses the internet or social media to promote parties where prostitution and debauchery are practiced. The previous law did not cover such practices on social media.

Punishment includes imprisonment for no less than seven years and a fine.

Thabet introduced the law after a group of Egyptians were arrested at a Mashrou’ Leila concert for raising the rainbow flag. The incident led to a large-scale crackdown against the gay community by authorities.

Mashrou’ Leila’s lead singer Hamed Sino is openly gay, and has been banned from performing in several countries because of it.