Top belly dancer jailed for 'insulting' Egyptian flag
Armenian national Safinaz performed in an outfit fashioned after Egyptian flag in July 2014
Safinaz performed in an outfit fashioned after Egyptian flag in July 2014. PHOTO COURTESY: GULF NEWS
CAIRO:
An Egyptian court sentenced on Monday a celebrated belly dancer to six months in prison for ‘insulting’ the country’s flag during a performance.
On Monday, 30-year-old Safinaz was also fined 15,000 Egyptian pounds and ordered to pay 10,000 Egyptian pounds in bail by the Cairo Misdemeanour Court.
Read: ‘Dance is a form of self-expression’
Before the announcement of the verdict, Safinaz’s counsel argued that his client is an Armenian national and was unaware of the laws prevalent in the country.
Read: The Raqs Revival dance extravaganza
He added that she did not mean to offend anyone by performing in an outfit fashioned after the Egyptian flag in July 2014.
“It was a message of love to Egypt and its people,” Safinaz said.
Read: Wahab Shah: So you think you can dance?
It is an offence in Egypt to insult the national flag or anthem and has a penalty of a maximum 30,000 Egyptian pounds or up to a year imprisonment.
This piece originally appeared on Gulf News.
An Egyptian court sentenced on Monday a celebrated belly dancer to six months in prison for ‘insulting’ the country’s flag during a performance.
PHOTO COURTESY: CTV NEWS
On Monday, 30-year-old Safinaz was also fined 15,000 Egyptian pounds and ordered to pay 10,000 Egyptian pounds in bail by the Cairo Misdemeanour Court.
Read: ‘Dance is a form of self-expression’
Before the announcement of the verdict, Safinaz’s counsel argued that his client is an Armenian national and was unaware of the laws prevalent in the country.
Read: The Raqs Revival dance extravaganza
He added that she did not mean to offend anyone by performing in an outfit fashioned after the Egyptian flag in July 2014.
PHOTO COURTESY: THE CAIRO POST
“It was a message of love to Egypt and its people,” Safinaz said.
Read: Wahab Shah: So you think you can dance?
It is an offence in Egypt to insult the national flag or anthem and has a penalty of a maximum 30,000 Egyptian pounds or up to a year imprisonment.
This piece originally appeared on Gulf News.