The Egyptian police recently arrested a photographer and his model, over the crime of carrying out a not-so-decent photoshoot at Saqqara Necropolis.

A photographer named Houssam Mohommad, and Salma al-Shimi, a dancer and model, were reportedly taken behind bars on Monday. The local media outlets called this shoot ‘provocative’ and ‘offensive’, leading to this detainment. In the photos, Shimi is posing in front of the stepped pyramid of Djoser. Her tight and revealing outfit is clearly Egyptian-inspired and Pharaonic-styled. As a result of the not-so-authentic outfit, outrage soon ignited online.

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According to reports, before getting arrested, Mohammed admitted that Shimi wore a robe over her clothes when entering the ancient area. When it was time to start the photo shoot, the model has removed it. As suggested by the Middle East Eye, a number of officers have watched them. However, none of them asked them to stop the photoshoot.

Shimi claims that she was oblivious to the fact that what she did violated any regulations. Shimi also put forward the argument that by this photoshoot, her ultimate motive was to promote tourism.

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Mostafa Waziri, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, referred the matter to prosecutors. The prosecutors regarded the images as inappropriate. Waziri told the Al-Watan news site that any person that disrespect the culture of Egypt will face a similar fate. He also remarked that any official who fails to do their part to preserve the sites with historical and archeological significance will face punishments.

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Further investigations regarding the incident are underway. As reported by The Egypt Independent, the police are presently working to identify the employee who allowed Houssan Mohammad and Shimi to carry out such a photoshoot which was deemed indecent by the Egyptian authorities.

Image credits – Instagram: salma.elshimy.officiall