A misdemeanor court in Al-Muqattam has cleared the defendant in a viral bus harassment case, citing insufficient evidence, and rejected a related civil lawsuit, according to local media reports on Tuesday, 24 March.
Under Egyptian law, acquittal due to insufficient evidence means the charges could not be proven beyond doubt, rather than confirming that the incident did not occur. The ruling remains subject to appeal by both the prosecution and the complainant.
The case dates back to February 2026, when a video circulated widely on social media showing a young woman confronting a man on a public bus in Cairo after he allegedly followed and verbally harassed her.
The woman, identified as Mariam Shawky, claimed at the time that the man had followed her from her workplace and boarded the same bus, where he insulted her, commented on her clothing, and attempted to assault her. She also said some passengers sided with the man rather than intervening.
According to the Ministry of Interior, investigations at the time found that the suspect had verbally harassed the woman and followed her onto the bus. He was later identified as a worker from Dakahlia Governorate and was arrested, though he denied the accusations during questioning.
In response to the ruling, Shawky said in a TikTok video that the footage she recorded clearly documents the incident, adding that she stands by her account and rejects claims that the events did not take place as described.
The case was subsequently referred to an urgent criminal trial, with the first hearing held in March.
The incident sparked widespread debate in Egypt after the video gained traction online, with many raising concerns over bystander inaction and the normalization of harassment.
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