03 September 2015

Egyptian belly dancers jailed for 'inciting debauchery'

A court in Egypt has sentenced two belly dancers to six months each in jail for inciting debauchery.

Suha Mohammed Ali and Dalia Kamal Youssef - known as the Egyptian Shakira and Bardis - were arrested over their scantily-clad performances in videos.

Lawyers filed complaints, saying they were outrages to public morality and harmed the image of Egyptian women.

In March, a well-known dancer - Safinaz - was sentenced to six months in jail for insulting the national flag.

She appeared in a video wearing a dress in its colours.

Another dancer, Salma el-Fouly, received a six-month sentence in July for a video in which she wore skimpy clothes while making fun of male gropers. [BBC] Read more