Egypt's military decided on Friday to authorize execution as a punishment for convicted rapists.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which has ruled Egypt since Mubarak was deposed in February, said it would allow the death sentence for rapists whose victims are under 18 or in cases where the perpetrator has a special connection with the victim, such as being the victim’s a guardian or employee.
The SCAF also said that anyone who rapes, threatens or attempts to rape another person will be given a harsh prison sentence. If the victim has not yet turned 18, the minimum sentence is seven years.
The SCAF also decided that anyone found inciting passers-by to engage in debauchery would be sentenced to no less than three months in prison. If the offense is repeated within one year of a final ruling on the first offense, the offender will be sentenced to a minimum of one year in prison and fined between LE500 and LE3000.
The sentence for verbal or physical harassment in public is a prison term between six months and two years and a fine between LE50 and LE2000, according to the military council. The same sentence can be applied if the offense takes place over the telephone or any other communication method.
Press reports have indicated a recent increase in the kidnapping of women in Egypt, possibly due to the reduced police presence and strikes that have taken security forces off the streets.
