Egypt Police Arrest Accused Rapist Amir Zayed, Contact Interpol to Capture Fugitives

Archive photograph of a police officer outside a courthouse. Photo credit: AP

Egypt’s Public Prosecution announced on Thursday afternoon that police had arrested accused rapist Amir Zayed as he attempted to flee Egypt to another country. The Public Prosecution also said that it is coordinating with Interpol to capture seven other accused rapists who fled Egypt.

In a statement published on Facebook, the Public Prosecution said that it had ordered Zayed’s detention pending investigations into an incident “similar” to the gang rape of a young woman at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel in 2014, now widely known as the ‘Fairmont Incident’ and the ‘Fairmont Crime’ (جريمة الفيرمونت).

“Police arrested [Zayed] as he attempted to escape from the country like the others accused [of rape] for his implication in a similar incident [to the Fairmont crime]”.

The Public Prosecution did not reveal further information about the “similar incident”.

However, Egyptian Streets understands that he was not involved in the Fairmont crime, which saw at least four men taking turns to rape a young unconscious woman in a hotel suite.

Instead, sources have told Egyptian Streets that Zayed is accused of involvement in the rape of another young, unconscious woman on a different date and at a different location.

According to information received by Egyptian Streets, Zayed was one of two men allegedly involved in the rape of a young woman who, for a significant period of time, was unaware she had been raped. The other man involved in this rape was also allegedly involved in the gang rape at the Fairmont Nile City hotel in 2014.

As reported on by Egyptian Streets in early August, lawyers had received evidence, including a video recording, implicating the two. This evidence has been provided to prosecutors.

Perpetrators Flee Egypt

On Wednesday, Egypt’s Public Prosecution announced that seven of nine men wanted in relation to the Fairmont crime and other related sexual abuse incidents had fled Egypt.

The Public Prosecution said that the seven accused rapists had fled Egypt prior to the victim of the Fairmont crime filing a report.

The confirmation that the alleged rapists had fled Egypt came two days after the Public Prosecution issued arrest warrants for nine men.

In its latest statement, the Public Prosecution said that it is coordinating with Interpol to ensure the return to Egypt of the seven accused rapists.

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 alleged 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.

Both male and female acquaintances of the alleged rapists were 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.

Egyptian Streets’ full report, including information about the evidence that has come to light and details of the various sexual crimes, is available by clicking here.

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.