4 Men in Egypt Allegedly Raped an 18 year old Girl but The Government is Letting Them Free

The Egyptian Government have ordered the release of four men accused in the 2014 drugging and rape of a 18-year-old at a hotel in Cairo. This has delivered a major blow to a rising #MeToo movement inside the country and across the whole Middle East.  On Tuesday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement that cited insufficient evidence for the criminal trial over what’s become known as the “Fairmont Incident” , named after the Nile-front property where the attack is believed to have taken place. The investigation itself has spanned over nine months, three continents, and more than a dozen interviews. It’s important to not, all of this was initiated by a social media campaign launched in July 2020 and aimed at naming and shaming sexual predators in Egypt. 

The Big Picture

source:pbs

The men accused in the rape case come from wealthy and influential families and had the financial means to skip town after the charges were filed against them. One suspect was released on bail in March and two remain at large. Though in the extraditions and arrests of the remaining men, opened a s worm whole of distracting rumors and death threats made against activists and the survivor herself. It didn’t stop there, witnesses to the attack were also detained and threatened. Human Rights Watch characterized the abuse of the men’s accuser and her confidantes as a “second assault,” and also criticised the Egyptian authorities for failing to properly investigate the attack. The Washington-based Project on Middle East Democracy called it a “flawed investigation.”  What the Fairmont case did do was inspire the creation of laws that protect the identities of survivors and witnesses of sexual assault in Egypt. It was able to capture the attention of politicians, celebrities, media personalities, and religious leaders and mobilized thousands across the Middle East to dispel tradition over logic!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *