Egyptian artist Mona Zaki has taken legal steps against a girl who posted photos she considered offensive on social media platforms, in a move aimed at confronting the phenomenon of cyber abuse and abuses targeting celebrities and public figures.
The case sparked a wide reaction during the past hours, after the artist Ashraf Zaki, the head of the Syndicate of Acting Professions, revealed that Mona Zaki decided to proceed with the legal procedures and not give up her right, stressing that she is committed to holding the perpetrator accountable through official means.
The Syndicate: The Phenomenon of Cyberbullying is Increasing
Ashraf Zaki explained that the artist contacted him and briefed him on the details of the incident, pointing out that the Syndicate of Acting Professions is following the case closely, and supports any legal measure aimed at protecting its members from the abuse or defamation campaigns spread on social media.
The President of the Syndicate of Acting Professions added that the Syndicate stands by the artist in this file, based on her keenness to address the growing phenomenon of cyberbullying, which has become affecting the personal and legal lives of many artists.
Zaki stressed that the continuation of such abuses requires a decisive legal stance, stressing that recourse to the judiciary is the most effective measure to deter abusers and protect rights, both on a personal and professional level.
Penalties for Online Defamation Crimes in Egypt
Egyptian laws, especially the Penal Code and the Anti-Information Technology Crimes Law No. 175 of 2018, specify severe penalties for crimes of insult, defamation, and defamation online, including imprisonment and fines that may reach 300,000 pounds, depending on the type of crime and the nature of the act committed.
The legislation stipulates that the crime of insult and cyberdefamation is punishable by imprisonment from one month to 3 years, and a fine ranging from 20 to 100 thousand pounds, or by one of the two penalties.
Violating the sanctity of private life, such as posting photos or publishing offensive photos without the owner's permission, is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than six months and a fine of between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds. The penalties also include crimes of intentional disturbance and harassment through the means of communication, which is punishable by imprisonment from 24 hours to 3 years, and a fine ranging from 50,000 to 300,000 pounds.
Penalties are harsher if the act involves stabbing the show or damaging the reputation of families, or if it targets a public official for the performance of his or her work, in accordance with the provisions of Egypt's penal code.
Mona Zaki is about to complete filming the series "Talaa Nazel"
Egyptian artistic sources reported that Mona Zaki is close to finishing filming her scenes in her new series "Talaa Nazel", after director Hani Khalifa is close to completing the work, and the producer has settled on showing the series on the "Shahid" platform next October, as an initial date outside the Ramadan race.
The sources indicated that filming is currently taking place inside the main decorations in the Media Production City, interspersed with precise rehearsals imposed by the director to ensure the highest level of realism, and the series consists of 10 episodes belonging to the psychological and social drama, with the possibility of changing the name before the show.
Mona Zaki embodies the character of a strong businesswoman who runs a major company and lives a seemingly perfect life, before entering into a complex psychological struggle after discovering her husband's infidelity.
Mohamed Shaheen plays the role of the multi-relationship musician husband, while Maryam Elkhosht plays the role of "Mai", the second wife who faces Mona Zaki in severe clashes and is exposed to a difficult health crisis, while Mimi Jamal embodies the role of the heroine's mother, a woman burdened with grief after the loss of her son, who moves to live with her daughter to support her in her crisis.