Egypt’s prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat has opened an investigation into the alleged rape of a British holidaymaker in South Sinai this week.
Barakat’s decision came after receiving a notification from INTERPOL concerning the British tourist’s claims from 6 March, when she says she was raped by a hotel worker during her visit to Sharm El-Sheikh.
South Sinai’s prosecution has been ordered to look into the allegations and make way for judicial cooperation with British authorities, who will provide evidence.
The incident was revealed by the British press on Sunday, alleging that the 40-year-old British businesswoman had been raped by a security guard at a five-star hotel in the Red Sea resort town.
Egypt’s tourism minister said on Monday that it was investigating the case along with UK authorities.
Earlier on Tuesday, Egypt’s ministry of tourism revoked the licenses of two hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh – Hilton Sharks Bay Hotel and Sharm Holiday Resort – after sexual harassment incidents at both resorts were ignored by their management.
In May 2013, Egypt’s tourism minister Hisham Zaazou told Ahram Online that hotels would be closed if staff were found to have sexually harassed tourists, behaviour that Zaazou said would negatively impact the country’s reputation.
The tourism ministry has recorded 150 cases of sexual harassment against tourists over the last two years. There have also been three recorded rapes.
Egypt’s tourism sector, which contributes around 11 percent of the country’s GDP, has experienced a series of blows since the January 2011 uprising which toppled long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak.
Source : Ahram online
