CAIRO: On Nov. 25 a Cairo court will hold the first hearing in the defamation lawsuit she filed against Muslim preacher and televangelist Safwat Hegazi, writer and human rights activist Azza Soliman said. Soliman had filed a lawsuit against Hegazi following comments he made on his weekly program on "El Nas satellite TV channel. On the show, 46-year-old Hegazi referred to women who do not wear the Islamic headscarf as "whores amidst discussing the ongoing "niqab (full face veil) controversy, which triggered debate within the circles of women's rights activist. Soliman was supported by her husband in filing a defamation suit against the preacher and demanding he apologize for insulting all Egyptian women. "I urge everyone to show their solidarity and stand against anyone who slurs our dignity as women and Egyptians under any banner, Soliman said. Responding to Soliman's accusations, Hegazi denied using the word "whore. He told Daily News Egypt that he hasn't even received any court summons. "This is an absolute lie; I never said that on my show. It's illogical not to receive a court summon if a complaint has been filed against you, Hegazi said. However, lawyer and activist Afaf El-Sayed has also filed a defamation suit, as well as a physical and psychological incitement lawsuit against the same preacher for the same reason. El-Sayed told Daily News Egypt that this is an insult not only to women but to every man because this preacher has offended every mother, daughter and wife. "Someone should tell those people who are insulting us on every platform to stop. How can a man of religion utter such a word? It's totally out of line and inappropriate to describe a large portion of your society that way. Those who are being discriminated against are unveiled women because of these TV channels that encourage conflicts.
