Egypt’s Administrative Judicial Court decided on 5 June to refer the lawsuit filed against Uber and Careem to the State Commissioners Authority, seeking their legal opinion. The lawsuit, filed by lawyer Amr Abdel-Salam on 15 May against Uber and Careem, is due to a violation of the licensing conditions by the two companies. The lawsuit comes after the recent incidents where Habiba Al-Shamma met her death after jumping out of a moving Uber ride to save herself from being kidnapped, and another woman escaped sexual assault at the hands of an Uber driver. Regulations entail that licensed companies use land transport vehicles for the service only after testing drivers for drugs and alcohol consumption to ensure they are sober. The companies must also share with the Ministry of Interior the driver’s information, for criminal record checks, to determine their criminal status and prior criminal convictions. Approval from the Ministry of Interior for the driver’s work authorization is also necessary to safeguard the lives and safety of citizens using ride-hailing apps. The filed lawsuit stated that Uber and Careem violated the regulations regarding granting operating permits without drug testing, as stipulated…
