Egypt TV presenter Radwa El-Sherbiny under investigation for hijab comments

Egyptian TV presenter Radwa El-Sherbiny is being investigated after saying that women who wear the hijab are better than those who don’t.

“To every woman who is the only veiled one among her group of friends, or in her family, or street, or her home, or workplace, never take off your hijab, never take off your hijab. You are 100,000 times better than I and non-hijabi women.”

“The devil inside [non-hijabi women] is more powerful than their faith and strength.”

El-Sherbiny, who hosts CBC Sofra’s ‘Heya w Bas’ herself does not wear the hijab.

The Supreme Council for Media Regulation announced it was investigating her after receiving complaints. The channel removed the clip but it has been reposted on social networking sites.

https://twitter.com/ayaahmed2305333/status/1305287504480923649

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Her comments attracted some support, including from Imam Abdullah Rushdie who announced his solidarity with her on Facebook, whilst activist Nihad Abu Al-Qumsan accused her of inciting violence against unveiled women.

El-Sherbiny has since apologised for her comments.

What women should and shouldn’t wear in Egypt consistently sparks highly polarised debates.

In July footage of women criticising an Egyptian woman in a pool wearing the burkini went viral online, with activists protesting the social pressure put on women.

One said it “hurts their eyes” to see her wearing the all in one swimsuit and that it is “disgusting” and “low-class”.

In 2017 Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism announced that hotels were authorised to ban burkinis depending on which tourists they host.