A 79-year-old school accountant has gone on trial in Egypt over accusations of raping a young child on campus, in a case that has triggered widespread public outrage and a viral social media campaign.
Newsweek has reached the Egyptian Ministry of Education for comment.
Why It Matters
The case has highlighted Egypt’s broader challenges with protecting women and children and ensuring legal accountability—especially within schools—in a culture that frequently silences victims of sexual abuse. Despite growing public pressure and online activism calling for systemic change, progress remains slow. The U.S. Department of State has previously expressed concern over these same issues.
What To Know
The defendant, who worked in a private school in Egypt’s, was referred to the criminal court over accusations of sexually assaulting a preschooler on site, according to state-owned media Al-Ahram. An official forensic medical report said the boy might have been raped but was not decisive, according to a copy published in local media.
The case has sparked public fury in Egypt, notably visible in an online social media campaign that started days before the trial, using the Arabic hashtag that translates into “Yassin’s right,” in reference to the victim. Dozens gathered in front of the court in Beheira, demanding maximum legal penalty for the defendant.
مطالبين بالقصاص.. هتافات المواطنين الآن أمام محكمة دمنهور #حق_ياسين_لازم_يرجع pic.twitter.com/ki9mUtDdyj
— Cairo 24 – القاهرة 24 (@cairo24_) April 30, 2025
The victim was a year younger when the alleged assaults took place in 2024. According to accounts from family friends and parts of the investigation, the victim said he was repeatedly assaulted in the school bathroom. After he spoke to teachers, the principal allegedly gave him a stick to defend himself and urged him to stay silent.
The school’s administration, including the principal, has denied any wrongdoing or allegations of offering the family financial compensation in exchange for dropping the case.
The case has underscored a wider pattern of reported school assaults, often met with legal inaction, weak enforcement, and resistance from school administrations—despite persistent efforts by parents struggling to report abuse and pursue justice. Egypt ranks among the countries with the highest rates of sexual harassment, where victims are often blamed for speaking out and pressured to forgo legal action, according to human rights groups.
What people Are Saying
Defendant identified as S.K, as quoted by Al-Ahram in Arabic: “How could I, when I’m an old man with a heart condition? I don’t go near the nursery building.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Education on Facebook, translated from Arabic: “The Ministry stresses its commitment to maintaining discipline within schools and to taking all legal actions regarding any incidents that may harm or affect the well-being of our students.”
Egypt’s National Council for Childhood and Motherhood: “The Council affirms its full confidence in the integrity of the Egyptian judiciary in confronting emerging negative societal phenomena driven by moral decline, which are incompatible with the values of divine religions and the principles of Egyptian society.”
What Happens Next
If convicted of sexually assaulting a minor, the defendant could face up to seven years in prison, while rape is punishable by the death sentence.
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