Egyptian information minister faces sexual harassment accusations
[Al Ahram] Egyptian Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud was accused of harassment following a comment he made to a female journalist at a conference held earlier this week.
A complaint was lodged against Abdel-Maksoud on Wednesday for alleged "verbal harassment, undermining public morals and making sexual insinuations."
Abdel-Maksoud, who is also a member of Egypt's Moslem Brüderbund group, was speaking at a conference at Al-Azhar University's mass communications department when he was asked by a journalist from the Hoqouq news website about media freedoms in Egypt.
Abdel-Maksoud responded by using an expression in colloquial Egyptian Arabic that bore sexual connotations -- literally translated, "Come here and I'll tell you where to find your media freedoms."
The comment prompted a storm of criticism against the minister.
The complaint against Abdel-Maksoud also makes reference to another of the minister's recent comments, in which he allegedly told a Dubai television talk show host that he hoped her questions weren't as "hot" as she was.
Posted by: Fred 2013-04-18 |