EGYPT: Bathhouse Raid Organizer Mona Iraqi To Face Trial On Defamation Charges

Via the Egypt Daily News:

Journalist Mona Iraqi, who faced international criticism for leading a televised police sting on 26 men she accused of engaging in homosexual activity, is to face court. The prosecution has approved to have her tried for charges including defamation. Alongside Tarek Nour, owner of the channel Al-Qahera Wal-Nas which broadcasts the show, Iraqi will face charges of publishing false news, libel and defamation with 5 April set as the date for preliminary hearings.

The Azbekeya Misdemeanour Court acquitted the 26 men of the charges of “debauchery” and “organising same-sex orgies” following claims on Iraqi’s show that men at the bathhouse were there for homosexual activities. Tarek Al-Awadi, the lawyer of the defendants in the bathhouse case and also responsible for the lawsuit against Iraqi, previously told Daily News Egypt: “In case that private satellite station Al-Qahera Wal-Nas (Cairo and the People) will not publish an official statement apologising for the actions of its employees, we will continue to escalate.”

In a separate incident, last week Iraqi was briefly arrested for filming without permission at a Cairo school. Iraqi claims the school is issuing counterfeit US diplomas.