Egypt: TV Presenter Jailed for Talking About Sex Outside Marriage

Doaa Salah, a presenter on Al-Nahar TV
3 November 2017

Doaa Salah, a presenter on Al-Nahar TV has been sentenced to three years in jail after she discussed ways of becoming pregnant outside a conventional marriage, reports news site Jezebel.com.

According to BBC, Salah had asked if her viewers had considered having sex before marriage, and also suggested a woman could marry briefly to have children before divorcing, a topic the government felt is promoting indecency. On the episode in question, Salah wore a fake pregnant belly to highlight her point. This episode aired in July.

Salah was suspended by the TV company for three months in the aftermath of the broadcast, before legal action was taken against her.

The TV presenter was then charged and convicted of outraging public decency. She was also ordered to pay a U.S.$566 fine to the lawyer who filed the lawsuit against her.

Salah can appeal the three-year sentence.

Another presenter on the same channel, Reham Saeed, was suspended for three months after spending an episode discussing extra-marital affairs.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.