A number of Egyptian women MPs on Thursday (November 2nd) called on the country's High Council of Media to take action against "irresponsible voices" which demean Egyptian women on television, Egypt’s Ahram Online reported.
Their statement, published on the National Council of Women (NCW) website, comes days after inflammatory statements were made during a televised panel discussion on satellite channel Al-Assema TV on laws against sexual harassment.
During the discussion, lawyer Nabih al-Wahsh described it as "a patriotic duty to harass and rape women who wear ripped jeans which expose their posterior".
"Without a doubt, these calls incite deviant behaviour and are an insult to Egyptian women, who are the backbone of the balanced and enlightened fabric of our society," the lawmakers’ statement read.
The lawmakers said they support the NCW's plan to file a legal complaint against al-Wahsh, accusing him of inciting sexual harassment and rape.
MP Anissa Hassouna also called on the High Council of Media to act against allowing people "like al-Wahsh" to appear on television to insult women.
There are 89 women in the 596-member Egyptian legislature, one of the highest percentages of female representation in the country's parliament ever.
Egyptian law criminalizes sexual harassment and punishes perpetrators with jail sentences and fines.
The Higher Council of Media, the government body tasked with regulating media content and performance, has said it will review video footage of comments by the lawyer and decide on an appropriate course of action.
