The Public Prosecutor's Office in Egypt revealed details regarding the disappearance of a girl from Minya Governorate, south of Cairo, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, following the spread of rumors about her kidnapping. It announced the arrest of 21 individuals involved in inciting riots related to this case.
The statement indicated that a report was received on December 2 about the disappearance of the girl, "Mirna Aziz," in Samalout, Minya Governorate, after she left her home to attend a religious lesson. Simultaneously, various posts circulated on social media claiming false reasons for the girl's disappearance.
The statement added that these posts could have led to sectarian tensions among the citizens. Due to these rumors, a group of people gathered on the morning of the fifth in the village of Nazlet al-Amoudin, blocking traffic in protest over the girl's disappearance. A police force was dispatched to disperse the gathering and restore traffic, but the protesters did not comply and threw stones at the police, prompting them to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. The police managed to arrest 3 instigators and 18 participants.
The Public Prosecutor's Office interrogated the arrested individuals regarding the accusations against them. Police investigations revealed that the instigators and participants aimed to disrupt public order and harm national unity, ignoring advice from security forces. One of the instigators urged participants to continue protesting with false claims about the police holding the girl and preventing her from contacting her family, leading the prosecutor to order their detention pending investigation.
After a period of investigation, the girl reappeared, and the Public Prosecutor's Office questioned her about her disappearance. She provided reasons indicating that she left her home voluntarily, without any incitement from anyone. All the reasons given did not touch on her honor or dignity, and the prosecutor deemed it unnecessary to disclose them in the statement, as they did not serve a purpose. Police investigations confirmed that no one had deceived or pressured her to leave her home, leading the prosecutor to order the release of those accused of kidnapping her.
The prosecutor warned against the negative impact of rumors and false news propagated by malicious forces on social media, which seek to provoke sectarian tensions and manipulate people's emotions, contrary to the actual facts. This often drives individuals to commit crimes for which they could be legally held accountable—reflecting the primary intent of these malicious forces to disrupt public safety and order.
Thus, the prosecutor urged citizens to adhere to the information released by the Public Prosecutor's Office and the relevant institutions dedicated to promoting justice, enforcing law, and protecting national security. The prosecutor emphasized a steadfast commitment to addressing such criminal behaviors and the reactions inciting some individuals to commit serious crimes, pursuing steadfastly those who instigate or participate in such activities to ensure public security and tranquility.
