CAIRO, 21 March 2007 — Controversial TV presenter Hala Sirhan will have to appear before the public prosecutor to face an investigation on charges of fabricating a TV show about three “sex workers” on a leading satellite channel early last month.
The talk show with three “night girls” caused a furor in political and religious circles in Egypt. Things took a turn for the worse when the three interviewed women complained to authorities that the story about them was fabricated and contrary to what the show said, they earned their livelihood in a dignified manner.
“No woman would say she is a prostitute for a mere $40,” said Hala referring to the money the women were given for appearing on the talk show.
“How could this be portrayed as an attempt to debunk the moral fabric of society while what I tried to focus on is the tragic situation poverty, shattered family relations, ignorance or drug addiction puts our women in? It is with this aim that I gave them an opportunity to tell their story so that we may identify the social malaise and work to eradicate it,” said Hala.