General Prosecutor Nabil Sadeq referred a well-known Egyptian lawyer to trial over inciting men to rape and sexually harass women, state media reported on Monday. The first session is due on 2 December.

Lawyer Nabih Al-Wahsh will face an urgent national security misdemeanour court trial on accusations of intentionally spreading false information and news which threaten public order.

The Supreme Media Council had already banned him from appearing in the media for at least three months.

In October, Al-Wahsh said during a TV show that women who wear “indecent” clothes, such as ripped jeans, should not be respected and are inviting men to sexually harass them. “Raping them would be a national duty,” he said.

The state-funded National Council for Women Rights filed a complaint to the prosecution, saying such statements are in violation of the constitution which guarantees the protection of women from all forms of violence.

Despite being publicly condemned, Al-Wahsh insisted on defending his comments in further press statements, saying he would not retract his remarks, even if his own daughter was concerned.

Moreover, state media reported that when summoned for investigations, Al-Wahsh expressed that it is a necessity to criminalise women’s “obscene” clothing.