Charges reduced in virginity exam case

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CAIRO, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Charges against an Egyptian military doctor accused of performing forced virginity tests on female detainees have been reduced, prosecutors said.

The charges against Dr. Ahmed Adil al-Mogy, whose case has been adjourned until Jan. 14 to allow military prosecutors to complete their investigation, have been changed from serious sexual assault to public indecency and not following orders, the Egypt Independent reported Wednesday

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights criticized the change, saying the doctor may receive a fine of only $50 or a prison sentence of less than one year.

An Egyptian court last month banned virginity tests for female detainees after Samira Ibrahim sued the military-led government, alleging she was one of at least six women subjected to a virginity exam after she was arrested during March 9 pro-democracy protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

An Army general told CNN the exams were given to protect the military from allegations of sexual assault or rape.

"We wanted to prove that they weren't virgins in the first place," he said.