The speaker of Egypt’s parliament Ali Abdel-Al referred on Tuesday maverick independent MP Ilhami Agina to the ethics committee for investigation after Agina said that any woman who wishes to join university must first undergo a virginity test.
Agina, an MP from the Nile Delta governorate of Daqahliya, had said in a press interview last week that "this measure is necessary to stem the tide of Urfi marriages on campuses."
Urfi marriages – civil unions that do not require official registration with the state – though legal, are often considered improper by many in Egyptian society due to their usually secretive nature.
Abdel-Al told MPs in a plenary session Tuesday he made the decision to refer Agina to the ethics committee “after I received many complaints against MP Agina in the last few days.”
Abdel-Al's announcement came after MP Salah Hassaballah, the head of the Freedom Party, seized the morning session to accuse Agina of directing "grave insults to Egyptian women and society and offensive remarks against its deep-rooted traditions and values."
"Article 20 of parliament's internal bylaws is clear that MPs who issue remarks against society's religious, moral and social values should face investigation before the House's ethics committee," said Hassaballah.
Hassaballah argued that "MP Agina has so far issued five statements and remarks that were all offensive to Egyptian society and its conservative values and as a result I and many of my colleagues ask that he be referred to the ethics committee."
Youssri El-Moghazi, another MP from the Daqahliya, told MPs in Tuesday's session "I am sorry to say that a colleague MP used my phone to tell the media that I support Agina's remarks and this is a big lie."
MP Mona Mounir Rizk told Ahram Online that the pro-government parliamentary bloc Support Egypt has officially filed a complaint with speaker Abdel-Al, demanding that Agina be referred to the ethics committee.
The official complaint, signed by around 200 MPs, accuses Agina of repeatedly making offensive remarks and statements that represent a violation of society's conservative values, not to mention they direct open insults to women in Egypt, and lead to tarnishing the image of the country's parliament.
The complaint said "Agina's statement on virginity tests were not the first in a list of shocking remarks."
"Agina has previously accused female MPs of wearing seductive dress, rejected the new law that made genital female mutilation a felony by arguing that this law would cause harm to Egyptian men who are sexually weak."
"Agina also asked that penalties against adultery be stiffened under the claim that Egyptian women are the main reason behind the proliferation of these crimes."
The complaint, written by Rizk, said Agina's most recent comment "directs a big insult not only to university women, but to all Egyptian families, not to mention that it violates society's deep-rooted conservative manners and traditions."
“What made things worse is that the Western media showed a lot of interest in covering Agina's shocking statements in a sensational way and as if they reflect the official viewpoint of the Egyptian parliament, which is the voice of the Egyptian people.”
As a result, the complaint said, "we – the major political coalition in Egypt's parliament – recommend that you refer MP Ilhami Agina to the ethics committee to be investigated, taking into account that the National Council for Women has also lodged a complaint against MP Agina with the prosecutor-general, asking that Agina be questioned on the charge of directing insults to Egyptian women, society and parliament."
The complaint was corroborated with documents listing all of Agina's controversial statements.
The newly-elected head of the Support Egypt coalition Mohamed El-Sewedi told reporters that he is in favour of referring Agina to the ethics committee.
"His statement was a direct insult to Egyptian women and society and I vow that he will be referred to the ethics committee to be disciplined," said El-Sewedi.
