A woman who filmed herself seeking help, after allegedly being harassed by a man on a Cairo bus, this week spoke out again as the accused, his lawyers and relatives issued counterclaims, adding a twist to a case that has stoked debate about women’s safety in Egypt.
Maryam Shawki posted videos clarifying her claims on social media after police released the man she accused from custody on bail of 1,000 Egyptian pounds (about $20) on Tuesday.
Ms Shawki said the man had repeatedly followed and harassed her near her workplace in the week before the incident.
She said she panicked when she saw him again on the bus, believing he had stalked her, and shouted to attract attention.
But Ms Shawki admitted she falsely accused the man on the bus of trying to steal money, saying she did so because “no one on the bus was helping” and she hoped to make the other passengers intervene.
She also thanked authorities for acting quickly in arresting the suspect.
The Interior Ministry earlier said police acted after seeing videos of the incident on social media, tracked the bus route, and detained the man on Monday evening.
Ms Shawki's remarks came as the man's lawyers released a statement saying that prosecutors had found no wrongdoing on his part.
He was freed on Tuesday after his bail was paid and appeared in a live-stream from his home that evening to deny any wrongdoing.
After the man was questioned by prosecutors, his brother told reporters that the family “will not forego its legal rights” and would file a defamation lawsuit against Ms Shawki.
“My brother is a hardworking, married, respectable man,” the brother said. “Everyone who spread false news should be held accountable. We want compensation.”
Ali Fayez, one of several lawyers representing the accused, held a press conference outside prosecutors’ offices in Cairo on Tuesday evening where he told reporters that the woman's version of events contained “clear exaggeration and contradictions”.
He said prosecutors had accepted the defence team's request for a psychiatric assessment of Ms Shawki.
Mr Fayez said his team had submitted audio and video evidence “that contradicts her narrative” and described the online response to her claims as having “already tried and convicted an innocent man”.
Ms Shawki’s lawyer, Mohamed Helmy, stressed that the bail ruling “does not mean the charge was dropped”.
In a statement posted on various social media channels, he said the decision was a procedural step, not an acquittal, and that investigations remain open while prosecutors collect additional evidence, including CCTV footage from transport cameras and passenger testimony.
“The authorities have not closed the case, and the accused could still be charged if evidence supports” his client's account, Mr Helmy said.
Solidarity and condemnation
A talk show appearance on Tuesday by one of the bus passengers in the original video, Badr Hassan, sparked renewed debate. He is seen holding prayer beads and admonishing Ms Shawki while consoling her alleged harasser.
Mr Hassan claimed the male passenger had been sitting “more than a metre away” and that “nothing happened”. He said Ms Shawki, whom he described as “raising her voice unnecessarily”, had “wronged the young man”.
His comments drew criticism from women’s rights advocates and social media users, who accused Mr Hassan of perpetuating outdated and misogynistic social attitudes.
Responding to comments on the bus from her alleged harasser and other passengers about her clothes, Ms Shawki published a photo of what she was wearing at the time – baggy black trousers and a long-sleeved black sweater – saying there had been “nothing provocative” about her outfit.
Supporters reposted the image with messages of solidarity and calls to end the recurring focus on women’s dress. “Harassment is never about clothes,” one user wrote on X, reflecting a sentiment repeated across Egyptian social platforms.
The controversy has also drawn in local celebrities.
Hassan Shakoush, a singer of the popular mahraganat music genre, sparked outrage with a TikTok live-stream in which he said that “a respectable girl wouldn’t wear things in her mouth” − a reference to Ms Shawki’s many lip and ear piercings.
However, several prominent actors voiced support for Ms Shawki.
“How long will we keep blaming the girl and justifying this barbaric behaviour? Leave us alone. God will judge us. You just lower your gaze,” the actress Nahed El Sebaie posted on Instagram.
On the same platform, actress Mayan El Sayed wrote, “God is our witness against all of you”, while fellow film star Jamila Awad shared the message “A harasser is not a man” in her stories.
Actress and model Tara Emad reposted the accused man’s photo with the message: “Shame on every man condoning this – thank God he was arrested.”
Rights organisations said the case highlights shortcomings in Egypt’s response to harassment despite tougher laws introduced in 2020 and 2023.
They said social stigma still discourages victims from reporting incidents unless they become public.
