Prosecution in Egypt’s Gharbiya governorate detained two men Tuesday 4 January, after allegations of blackmailing a minor with explicit, doctored images. Basant Khaled, a 16-year-old from Kafr El Zayat village, took her own life as a result of these actions. Family and friends hold that the images were distributed by both men after Khaled refused their sexual advances. Her subsequent suicide note, an emotional plea to her mother, garnered mass outrage on social media and urged the judicial sector to take action via Arabic hashtag: #Basants_right_must_be_ensured. Al Ahram Online reports that the two suspects had fled their homes for fear of arrest after the suicide note’s viral notoriety. One of the men was reported to be a classmate of Khaled, while the other was a university undergraduate student. Upon circulation, the images were a source of grief and relentless bullying for Khaled, from peers, neighbors, and her own teachers. Appearing in several televised interviews, Khaled’s father expressed outrage and hurt over his daughter’s untimely death. Many social media users have brought into question the integrity of his reaction and grief, citing the suicide note as a clear indicator that her…
