Cairo criminalises bullying

The Egyptian Parliament has approved an amendment to the country's penal code to criminalise bullying. A report on the IoL site notes that Article 309 defines bullying as any show of strength or control by the offender, as well as exploitation of the weakness of the victim or of a situation that the bully believes would offend the victim. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly last month approved the draft law which sets the punishment for perpetrators at no less than six months' imprisonment and a fine of up to $1 800. According to a 2018 report by the Unicef, research shows that groups who are most vulnerable tend to be children with different cultural or religious backgrounds, social status or have health issues or disabilities.