Citroën withdraws scandalous commercial in Egypt

After the singer brakes sharply and there is eye contact between the two, Diab uses a built-in camera in the car to secretly take a picture of the woman - the image appears shortly after on the cell phone of a grinning Diab, accompanied by the phrase: "Capture every beautiful moment." Later, the two can be seen together.

Following criticism on social media that sexual harassment was being promoted in the clip, Citroën eventually withdrew the commercial. "We do not tolerate any form of harassment," read a statement released Wednesday evening by the manufacturer, which is part of Opel parent company Stellantis. It said the camera installed in the C4 model was intended to "capture unique driving moments" and provide greater safety. One regrets the "negative interpretation" of the scene and has understanding, Citroën announced on Facebook.

The Speak Up initiative, which aims to protect victims of harassment and abuse, wrote on Twitter that a photo taken without the permission of the person or persons photographed is a "crime." Women's rights activist Reem Abdellatif wrote that a photo without permission is "creepy." Citroën and Diab would make sexual harassment possible.

Sexual harassment and violence are a serious problem in Egypt. In 2020, around 90 percent of all women between the ages of 18 and 39 said in an Arab Barometer survey that they had been sexually harassed within a year. Several campaigns aim to tackle the problem, for example with self-defense training or legal advice. However, the causes are also the role stereotypes and norms in a society that is strongly dominated by men.

In terms of music sales, pop singer Amr Diab is considered the most successful artist from the Arab region. His lyrics are mainly about great love, longing and heartbreak. (SDA/swi)