Parliament considers abolishing prison for of women debtors

CAIRO – 2 January 2018: Parliament is set to consider a new draft law that would involve women debtors in community service as an alternative penalty to imprisonment.

“The debtors are not criminals. They are very much full-fledged humans and citizens, and have the right to social participation,” MP Elizabeth Shaker stated in a press statement on Tuesday, adding that the bill does not apply to repeat offenders.

At the same time, the parliamentary majority block of “Support Egypt" is preparing a bill to prevent the imprisonment of women debtors.

“The stories of Egyptian mothers who end up being in prison because of them being the sole breadwinner of the family and hence not able to pay their debts for small infractions are repeatedly recurrent. They are victims, not criminals,” Shaker added.

According to the current penal code, debtors may face up to three years of imprisonment. Debtors must pay their fines or convince the traders to pardon them to be freed.