Egyptian Parliament Sex Scandal

Presenter, Wael Al-Abrashi: A court of justice has ruled that three Parliament members have sunk into the swamp of a sex scandal. They made a deal with a prostitute named Samiha to have sex with her, one after the other, for three nights, in exchange for 1,000 Egyptian pounds, in the apartment of a certain MP in the Al-Muhandiseen neighborhood.

Journalist, 'Alaa Al-Shibil: First of all, we didn't say only three were involved in this. I'd like to correct what was said…

Presenter, Wael Al-Abrashi: You originally said five...

Journalist, 'Alaa Al-Shibil: We said five because five were involved. The item did not mention the name of any MP from the Al-Gharbiya district.

Presenter, Wael Al-Abrashi: It was discreet. You did not mention names.

Journalist, 'Alaa Al-Shibil: it was discreet, since there are 26 MPs from Al-Gharbiya district. We said five of them were involved, one of whom was the MP who owned the apartment where the incident allegedly took place. The fifth was the one who allegedly covered up the scandal and coordinated matters.

Presenter, Wael Al-Abrashi: You came to the conclusion that a group of MPs made a deal with a prostitute to have sex with her in exchange for 1,000 Egyptian pounds, for three days. Yes, divided into 200 pounds, 200 pounds, 200 pounds… this was the beginning of the story.

The defendants' attorney, MP Murtada Mansour: First of all, the item is amusing. The item is amusing. The item itself proves the incident never occurred. How come? It says: "A prostitute was seduced by five MPs." A prostitute doesn't need anyone to seduce her because she is already cheap merchandise in the market. She offers herself to anybody. So, first of all, no one seduces a prostitute. Second, they say her name is Samiha. I'd like to challenge them… Where is this Samiha? Samiha Muhammad, Samiha Mahmoud, Samiha Ibrahim? Where is Samiha?

Have you ever seen a prostitute with five MPs - and when they give her 800 pounds she says, "give me the remaining 200," as it says in the newspaper, "or else I will go to the department of investigations"?! This is nonsense. Would a prostitute go to the police although the Prostitution Act states that a man having sex with a prostitute is considered a witness and is exempt of punishment, while the woman is the one who is punished? Would she reveal her name and say to the police chief: "By the way, I'm the Samiha who slept with five guys and committed prostitution, and this man refused to pay me 200 pounds." What is she, a taxi driver who didn't get paid?! This is too much.

MP Haydar Baghdad: I support Islamic law, which says the crime of prostitution is only proven when they are caught red-handed and there are witnesses. Then the punishment is stoning and they must be flogged 100 times. This is indisputable, but only when they are caught red-handed. In this case they were not caught red-handed.

We, the people of Upper Egypt… I too attend weddings and celebrations - and maybe even those of the attorney - where belly-dancers perform in public, and we celebrate with our children at their weddings. We in Upper Egypt invite a local band, and each MP dances with his family. We shoot in the air with our sons. This is normal. But when we are talking about a closed apartment and 200 pounds… and money… This constitutes prostitution, audacity, and damage to [the parliament's] reputation.

If their guilt is proven and there is a proposal to revoke membership in parliament, I believe the National Democratic Party will agree to this willingly, in order to clear its name, because President Husni Mubak's elections are scheduled for May 1. The referendum. We, as the opposition or as independents, believe that on May 1 all parliament members must be above reproach. They must be above reproach.

MP Badri Al-Farghali: It isn't like some people delude themselves to believe. This isn't sex but prostitution. This is an act done for pay and is worthy of punishment in this world – as well as in the world to come, because the man committed abominable and despicable acts. One owned the apartment, another brought the prostitute, and three fooled around with her. This is a real business. Three men coming and going with a woman for three days, what is this? Is it possible that some members of this sacred constitutional institution have earned the title 'Samiha's MPs'? How can this be?