Aswat Masriya (Cairo)

Egypt: Rights Group Blames Govt for Sexual Harassment At Protests

An Egyptian women's rights group that goes by the name "Baheya Ya Masr" has decided to begin procedures to press legal charges against the authorities whom they believe are behind the sexual assaults on female demonstrators.

The movement added in a statement on Saturday that Egyptian women refuse to give up on their resistance against discrimination and will continue to fight for equality.

"Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment" had reported that weapons were being used against female demonstrators and those who intervened to help them.

Baheya Ya Masr insisted that the purpose of sexual violence in demonstrations is to break the will of Egyptian women and force them to stop joining the fight for freedoms and rights, describing the perpetrators as trained and organized groups that target women.

"(Hosni) Mubarak's regime used sexual violence against protesters in May 2005 and today the current regime is using the same weapon more skillfully by hiring organized and trained groups to carry on this wicked task," the women's rights group said.

A report by another women's group had documented dozens of sexual harassment cases that took place on the anniversary of the 2011 revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

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