6 arrested following gang harassment of woman in Egypt

At least six men have been arrested following a collective assault and harassment of a woman as she returned home from a wedding in the Egyptian city of Zagazig.

Dozens of men reportedly surrounded the woman and assaulted her, according to state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram. The incident was witnessed by a passer-by who reported the incident to the police who subsequently attempted to separate the group.

Image of Egyptian police separating the crowds before arresting the men who assaulted and harassed a woman on 30 March 2017 [Egyptian Streets]

One of the men was identified by the victim as a perpetrator with authorities expecting to make further arrests today following interrogations.

According to a UN study in 2013 conducted with a number Egyptian NGOs, 99 per cent of women in Egypt have been the victim of some form of sexual harassment.

Egypt passed an anti-harassment law in 2014 penalising those found guilty of sexual harassment with a fine of between $419 and $700 and the possibility of a jail sentence of up to six months. Those found guilty of unwanted sexual contact will face a minimum of one year in jail.