Is This Fare To The People OF Egypt

Africa

Egypt bans forced virginity tests by military

Hundreds cheer court order abolishing mandatory examinations of female detainees in military prisons.

Egyptian women have demonstrated against the military's harsh treatment of female protesters [Reuters]

An Egyptian court has ordered a halt to forced virginity tests on female detainees in military prisons.

The case, which was decided on Tuesday, was filed by Samira Ibrahim, a woman who said the army forced her to undergo a virginity test in March after she was arrested during a protest in central Cairo's Tahrir Square.

Human rights organisations say that there have been many other such tests by the military.

"The court orders that the execution of the procedure of virginity tests on girls inside military prisons be stopped,"
Judge Aly Fekry, head of the Cairo Administrative court, said.

Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Cairo, said the verdict was cheered by hundreds of who had gathered inside the courtroom to hear the ruling read out.

"Today's verdict to ban any form of virginity test [in military prisons] will be seen by many as vindication for their criticism of the military over the past few months," our correspondent said.

"This is something that will draw more criticism to the Supreme Council of Armed Forces - not so much the military itself, but its leadership.