An Egyptian court acquitted on Sunday controversial television show host Riham Saeed of defamation and infringement of personal privacy.
Saeed had been sentenced to six months in prison and was ordered to pay a fine of EGP 15,000 in February, but the television personality appealed the sentence thereafter.
Somaya Tarek initiated court proceedings in October of last year after Saeed aired private photographs, allegedly taken from Tarek’s mobile phone without her permission, on the television show Sabaya El-Kheir.
The photographs appeared to show Tarek in her bedroom, in a bathing suit on a beach, and more.
While airing the photographs, Saeed moved to blame Tarek, who was harassed and slapped twice by a man at a Heliopolis mall.
“Don’t you think your clothing was somewhat inappropriate for a place like a mall? Maybe your clothes gave the man the impression that you’re not a ‘good girl,’” said Saeed.
Later, Saeed appeared to threaten Tarek, saying that she could have aired much worse. The producer defended Saeed’s actions, saying that it was meant to be a lesson for all girls.
While Saeed claimed to have received these photographs through WhatsApp, Tarek said Sabaya El-Kheir’s production team stole the photographs from her phone while she was in the studio with Saeed.
Following an outcry across the country, Al-Nahar television network apologized to all women across Egypt and suspended Saeed’s show. However, despite numerous advertisers pulling out, Saeed returned to television less than two months later.
The man who slapped Tarek after sexually harassing her was sentenced to one month in prison.
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