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In Egypt, penalties proposed for those not wearing decent clothes in public places

Egyptian activists denounce a new bill that would oblige citizens to wear decent clothes under pain of financial penalties and say the proposed law is extremely conservative and involves serious constitutional violations.

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Fully veiled Egyptian women play on the beach in Marsa Matrouh, northwest of Cairo, June 16, 2015. — REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

CAIRO — Egyptian member of parliament Ghada Ajami of the Support Egypt bloc submitted a controversial bill Oct. 30 that stirred a wide debate about the rights of citizens to be able to wear and do what they want without censorship or interference from authority.

The proposed “public decency law” would oblige citizens to wear clothing that meets certain standards and to refrain from saying or doing certain things in public areas.

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