Egyptian activist obtains verdict to prohibit virginity tests forced on female detainees

On the International Women’s Day, calls for women’s rights and equality with men rose across the globe. However, many women broke the rule, facing injustice and oppression.          

Samira Ibrahim is an Egyptian activist who faced the Military Council and obtained a verdict prohibiting virginity tests forced on female detainees.           

Samira Ibrahim was arrested at Tahrir Square in central Cairo on March 9th, the square from which rebels ousted Husni Mubarak, the square from which the story began. She was arrested simply because she participated in one of the protests.        

When Samira was in detention along with other women, she was subject of physical and mental torture until the unexpected happened: Samira and seven other women were forced to take a virginity test. However, Samira was the only one who had the courage to challenge the social stigma associated with such issues in the conservative Upper Egyptian society, taking the case to court.         

This is how this 27-year-old young lady faced and defeated the Military Council when the Egyptian court ruled in her favor, prohibiting virginity tests forced on female detainees.         

Nevertheless, Samira’s battle is not over yet; she is still waiting for the verdict in the case she brought before the military court to punish those behind the virginity tests issue.        

One legal decision was enough to turn Samira Ibrahim from a simple Egyptian activist to an icon of female activism across the Arab world.