Rania Youssef posed for the cameras on the red carpet at the closing ceremony of the 40th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival. The actress was smiling as she showed off her black lace dress pictured above. She had no idea that her fashion choice would lead her to become a defendant in a high-profile criminal case.
Conservative factions of Egyptian society have condemned her fashion choice. The anger has culminated in a lawsuit that has the potential of earning Youssef 5 years behind bars, according to BBC.
The first lawsuit alleging obscenity was filed by lawyer Amro Abdelsalam and the second by Samir Sabri, another lawyer known for taking celebrities to court. Sabri claimed Youssef’s appearance “did not meet societal values, traditions and morals and therefore undermined the reputation of the festival and the reputation of Egyptian women in particular.”
The entertainer, who was blindsided by the negative response, has apologized for her alleged misstep in a statement.
“I probably miscalculated when I chose to wear this dress. It was the first time that I wore it and I did not realize it would spark so much anger. I reaffirm my commitment to the values upon which we were raised in Egyptian society.”