Cairo: A case of an Egyptian couple who have allegedly abused their newly born baby has triggered dissent in the country.
The Egyptian couple, Ahmad and Zeinab, face investigation for posting YouTube footage of their baby while she's asleep.
In the videos, the couple is seen pinching the new born's cheek to cry and poking her to wake her up.
They have urged viewers to subscribe to their YouTube channel to increase traffic and eventually gain money.
The footage resulted in backlash from followers who accused the young couple of abusing their baby.
Egypt’s state National Council for Motherhood and Childhood said it has filed a legal complaint against the parents.
“The council has filed the complaint after it received via its Child Help Service several reports and grievances about abusing the baby girl by her parents with the aim of achieving high viewing rates on social media,” the agency’s chairwoman Azza Al Ashmawy said in media remarks.
“The council analysed the content of the videos and concluded that they constitute child abuse in violation of the law,” she added.
Egypt’s chief prosecutor Nabil Sadeq on Saturday ordered an inquiry in the case, in response.
The couple could be charged with child abuse and commercial exploitation, offences punishable in the Egyptian law by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of 50,000 Egyptian pounds.
No date has been set for the couple’s questioning.