Khaberni - The Qena Economic Appeals Court, Third Misdemeanor Primary Circuit, sentenced a young man to one year in prison with labor, and a fine of 50,000 Egyptian pounds, adding a 5,000 pounds bail to suspend the execution of the sentence, after convicting him of insulting, defamation, and slander against his former girlfriend via social media.
The case dates back to August 2025, when the girl filed an official complaint against her former boyfriend accusing him of posting her photos and personal information on Facebook, and sending messages through WhatsApp that included insulting and threatening phrases, one of which was: "I will bring you down under my feet."
After reviewing the complaint and conducting the necessary investigations by the Cybercrime Unit, the authenticity of the incident was confirmed, leading to the young man's referral to the economic court that issued an in absentia verdict against him.
The court affirmed that the punishment was intended as a deterrent, considering the sharing of photos and personal data and insults via social media as an invasion of privacy, and deemed the act as a blatant violation of the laws that protect individuals from online defamation.
The verdict also stipulated the possibility of executing the in absentia sentence with the right of the accused to file a grievance later before the court, provided the set bail is paid to suspend execution.
