The Parliament has approved an amendment to the penal code to toughen penalties for harassment and bullying as follows:
Harassment Penalties after the amendment: Offenders will face imprisonment for a minimum of two years and a maximum of four years, in addition to a fine of no less than 100,000 Egyptian pounds and not exceeding 200,000 Egyptian pounds. The court can impose either of these penalties on anyone who harasses others in a public or private place or through gestures, sexual insinuations, or explicit content, whether expressed through signs, words, actions, or any wireless or electronic means of communication.
Blackmail and Harassment Penalty: If the harasser holds authority over the victim, be it in a professional, familial, educational context, or any means that enables exploitation, or if the crime occurs in the workplace or on public transportation, or if there are more than two offenders carrying weapons, the prison sentence will be doubled to seven years. If the offense is repeated, the prison sentence will not be less than ten years.
Penalties for Harassment at the Workplace or in Transportation: According to the amended law, the penalty for harassment in the workplace or in public transportation will be imprisonment for a minimum of three years and a maximum of five years, along with a fine ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 Egyptian pounds.
In case of repeated harassment, the minimum prison sentence for the offender will be four years, and upon further repetition of the offense, the penalty will be doubled to eight years, with an accompanying fine.
As for bullying, the penalty will include a prison term of no less than one year and a fine ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 Egyptian pounds. If bullying occurs in the workplace or on public or private transportation, the minimum penalty will be doubled.