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Isn't the laws regarding porn in Egypt strict? What are the penalties if caught with it? Just curious.



They are strict!

"Article 178 of the Penal Code n°58 of 1937

'A punishment of imprisonment for 2 years and a fine from 20 to 500 L.E. or one of these punishments shall be imposed on anyone who:

manufactured or possessed -

printed materials, manuscripts, advertisements, relieves, engraves, manual or photographic drawings, symbolic signs or any other material or photographs violating public morals;

- in case this manufacture or possession was intended to trafficking, adhesion or exhibition.

The same punishment shall be imposed on anyone who:

imported, exported or transferred by himself or by any other person any of the above-mentioned materials.
Issued an advertisement, publicly exhibited, sold, rented, offered for sale or for rent, even though this was unpublicly effected.
Publicly and by direct or indirect means forwarded, even though free of charge and by any means, any of the above-mentioned material.
Distributed or handed over with intent to be distributed, by any means, any of these materials.
Discretely distributed any of these materials, even though free of charge and with intent to corrupt morals.
As well as the fore-cited punishment is to be inflicted to anyone who:

publicly delivered immoral songs, shouting or speeches.
publicly seduced committing debauchery or issued advertisements or messages of any expressions.
In case of recidivism the punishment shall be imprisonment and a fine without violating article 50 of this Code.'"

Additionally, there are laws against "offences against public morals and sensitivities" and "violating the teachings of religion and propagating depraved ideas and moral depravity" that have been used against homosexual and bisexual people in the recent past. I don't think an Egyptian prosecutor would refrain from trying to put these to "good use" against producers and consumers of pornography, too. This would mean up to five years in jail for a person convicted of such a crime, as far as I know.



On the other hand, they aren't THAT strict... If it were up to the islamic fundamentalists that gain more and more control over the "opinion of the people", convicts would, at least, be emasculated with a dull knife followed by a public stoning.

Of course, all the above doesn't mean that pornography doesn't exist in Egypt. Just like drugs, services of prostitutes, alcoholic beverages, licenses for archeological excavations and pretty much every other product or service under the sun, it's just a question of "bakshish". And who you "know"...