After allegedly being referred to the parliament’s disciplinary committee over his comments supporting female genital mutilation (FGM), MP Elhamy Agina said that he refuses any law that bans FGM because it will not be properly applied. In an interview with a privately-owned TV news channel, he said the constitution grants him his basic right to express his opinion. International rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Egypt on Friday to enact harder penalties on the practitioners of FGM. Agina, who is a member of parliament’s Human Rights Committee, claimed that about 64% of Egyptian men suffer from impotence, and thus girls should undergo FGM to reduce their sexual desires. Several MPs filed complaints to parliamentary speaker Ali Abdul Aal following the controversial Agina’s statements, demanding his referral to the disciplinary committee.

Source: Daily News Egypt September 10, 2016 11:48 UTC