Investigation launched into video of policeman beating child

CAIRO – 21 August 2018: Minister of Interior Mohamed Tawfik ordered an investigation into a video that went viral on social media Monday of a policeman beating a child vendor in the metro for refusing to get off the ladies car.

"Please, let me celebrate Eid," the child selling tissues told the policeman who arrived upon a complaint by female passengers who were annoyed by the pedestrian vendor.


The child's situation is a breach to child law No. 12 for the year 1996 which was amended in 2008, stating that "The child is considered to be in danger if he is in a situation jeopardizing the adequate rearing conditions."

That includes begging in the form of street vending or performing any other job that cannot be a reliable source of income. As a result, adults using children for begging should be punished by law.

The National Council for Childhood and Motherhood thanked the minister in a press release for taking action toward the video shot by one of the passengers, asserting that justice for citizens, especially children, must be maintained.

On Monday, the Ministry of Transportation issued a press release encouraging citizens to report pedestrian vendors on the metro through the hotline 16048, clarifying that the child broke the law.

Authorities have been attempting to eliminate the presence of pedestrian vendors on the metro. If arrested, those vendors are fined. The Parliament also studied confiscating the goods they sell in 2017.