Egypt’s Public Prosecution Issues Call for Video Evidence of Fairmont Gang Rape Case

Earlier today, the office of Egypt’s Public Prosecutor issued a statement calling on potential witnesses and persons of interest in the Fairmont case to turn in the video of the alleged gang rape.

In the announcement, released on social media, the prosecution states that investigations into the incident confirmed that a number of individuals have seen video footage of the incident. It went on to add that some of those who have viewed the video or have known about the alleged crime later received threats to keep them from testifying. The prosecution also revealed that some witnesses received screenshots of the video from an anonymous social media account.

The prosecution then called on anyone who may have video evidence of the alleged gang rape to email it to [email protected], vowing to protect the anonymity of all witnesses in accordance with Egypt’s laws and constitution.

The sex crime allegedly took place on Friday the 21st February, 2014 at the Fairmont Nile City hotel in Downtown Cairo. According to the victim, a number of men drugged her using GHB, a date rape drug, then took turns raping her while she was unconscious. The victim also claims that the suspects filmed the crime and shared video footage of it with their friends.

WHAT IS THE FAIRMONT CRIME?

The Fairmont crime involved the drugging and gang rape of a young woman at a private after party at the five-star Fairmont Nile City hotel. The rape was captured on video and allegedly shared by the suspected rapists and their acquaintances.

The alleged gang rape of the young woman had remained unspoken about for years, only to come to light publicly after the landmark Ahmed Bassam Zaki case, which saw the alleged serial rapist and harasser arrested after being accused of rape and sexual abuse by dozens of women.

According to sources, many acquaintances of the alleged rapists were reportedly aware of sexual crimes committed by the accused gang rapists, but remained silent – some out of fear and others out of solidarity.

Speaking to Egyptian Streets, a number of sources confirmed the presence of a number of the alleged rapists at the scene of the alleged crime on 21 February 2014.

An investigative report by Egyptian Streets published on Tuesday 5 August revealed that the victim was drugged, repeatedly raped and degraded by a number of men.

Egyptian Streets also received information that evidence has been received by lawyers in relation to at least one other alleged related rape carried out by some of the men allegedly involved in the Fairmont crime and that, as of Tuesday 4 August 2020, official legal complaints have been filed.

Any victims of sexual crimes or domestic abuse in Egypt needing support or willing to come forward to expose their abusers can contact the National Council for Women at 15115 for assistance.