The Agouza Misdemeanor Court on Monday sentenced Armenian belly dancer Safinaz to six months in prison and fined her LE50,000 for insulting the Egyptian flag. The court set her bail for LE10,000.
Safinaz did not attend the session where the prosecutors requested the maximum penalty for her, in accordance with the law on insulting the Egyptian flag issued under interim president Adly Mansour.
During one of her shows in Ain Sokhna last summer, Safinaz danced wearing an outfit with the Egyptian flag's three colors and the eagle on it, prompting some to accuse her of violating Article 223 of the Egyptian Constitution, which states that insulting the Egyptian flag is a crime punishable by law.
She confessed to wearing the outfit, but said she was unaware of the law. She added that she was wearing the Egyptian flag to express her love for Egypt and Egyptians.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
