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Vindicated Sex Assault Victim Now Accused of Being Israeli, Lying
By JOSEPH MAYTON (Middle East Times)Published: October 31, 2008
An Egyptian lawyer has called for the arrest of sexual assault victim Noha Rushdi Saleh whom he claims is really an Israeli for undermining the sentiments of the country. One woman retorted: "Even if she were an Israeli tourist it wouldn't matter. She still got assaulted." Photo shows veiled woman passing a shop of European fashion design and daring outfits. (Image via Newscom)
CAIRO -- When Egyptian Noha Rushdi Saleh won her case against a man for sexual assault on a Cairo street, the verdict was greeted with cheers from the women's groups and activists. But barely a week later, Rushdi finds herself entangled in a web of horrifying conspiracies surrounding her identity.
Lawyer Nabih al-Wahash has issued a lawsuit against Rushdi, calling for her arrest for harming national security and lying about her attacker. He argues that Rushdi is Israeli and is attempting to undermine the sentiments of the country.
He faxed his case to the general prosecutor and demanded that Sherif Goma'a the man given a three-year jail sentence for assaulting Rushdi be released from prison until his appeal can be heard.
But Wahash is not the only one questioning her nationality and intentions.
Nagla'a Imam, a lawyer who initially came out in vocal support of Rushdi, is now saying that the 27-year-old filmmaker is an Israeli who is attempting to tarnish Egypt and is using the case for her own personal gains.
On the way to see her lawyer Rushdi acknowledged to the Middle East Times that such claims had arisen, but said she was unsure what would happen next and confirmed having an Egyptian passport.
Egyptian women are shocked and infuriated by the backlash.
"This is disgusting that people in this country are now trying to make Noha out to be the enemy, when it is Egyptians who are to blame for the assault and harassment that takes place on our streets," one woman told the Middle East Times.
According to Amal Abdel Hadi, of the New Women's Foundation, the young filmmaker's family was among the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were forced from their homes in 1948 with the establishment of the Israeli state.
Many Palestinians are compelled to carry Israeli passports in order to travel outside Israel and the Palestinian territories. These are obligatory for any Palestinian who resides in the West Bank or Gaza.
"I can't see where there is a problem," said Engy Ghozlan of the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights (ECWR), "I don't know what's wrong."
Ghozlan argued that despite the accusations the court cannot reconvene the case. "It is over," she said.
"This is going to give the government a reason to not take any action anymore. Whenever [women] take action they hassle us about it," Ghozlan said. "Even if she were an Israeli tourist it wouldn't matter. She still got assaulted."
Abdel Hadi said that the claim by Imam that he was part of Rushdi's legal team was false and that Imam continues to say lies on national television concerning this situation.
"No, no, no; a big no. This woman [Imam] has nothing to do with Noha," Abdel Hadi told the Middle East Times. "Nobody has authorized her to speak about Noha's case or anything related to it."
Imam is also accusing Rushdi of lying about her assault, and has cited a previous case allegedly brought against a French official as evidence that she is fabricating situations for her own benefit.
Abdel Hadi also vehemently rebuked Imam's claims.
"My personal feeling is that we should ignore her. This is something that diverts [the country] from the main cause. The main cause is to encourage women to put cases against the perpetrators of these crimes. To take the criminals to court," he said.
But the intimidation is real for a woman who went through a traumatic experience and faced initial disinterest by police, before finally getting justice in Egypt's first conviction against a man for sexual assault.
Rushdi was on a street in the northern Cairo suburb of Heliopolis when Goma'a drove his car slowly alongside as she walked and repeatedly groped her, including grabbing at her breasts.
Read an earlier report in the Middle East Times titled, Egyptian Gets Jail in Sex Assault in Milestone Case
As evidenced by an ECWR report published this summer, Rushdi's experience is one that many women living in Egypt deal with on a daily basis. In the survey of Egyptian and foreign women, over 80 percent of Egyptians and 96 percent of foreigners experience some form of harassment on a daily basis.
Many activists across the country view the court's verdict as something that could be a watershed in the struggle to combat sexual harassment.
But if the fallout of this court verdict is any indication to go by many, many battles lie ahead.
I don't think it should be a problem, its a stupid complaint, invalid. Just an attorney with sour grapes.
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