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Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation has banned Riham Saeed from broadcasting for one year, after she "insulted" and "fat shamed" overweight women on her talk show, Sabaya with Riham Saeed.
During a televised segment, the outspoken host said: "Obese people are dead, they are a burden and they are a burden on their families."
Of overweight women in particular, she added: "You have lost all your femininity, you have lost your smile, you have lost everything."
The council implemented the ban following a complaint from the country's National Council for Women (NCW).
The restriction means that Saeed "must not appear on any media platform including print media and electronic media".
In a statement issued by the complaints committee, which investigated the NCW's objection, it was decided that Saeed had “committed a media crime by insulting Egyptian women, mixed between her personal opinion and her media duty, and violated the professional standards by using expressions, words and descriptions that represent a clear and explicit insult, in general, to Egyptian women".
The statement adds that that Saeed lacked "a sense of media and humanitarianism", listing a number of violations, including "confusing between obese patients and owners of fat bodies" and "causing frustration for patients and the dissatisfaction of viewers due to the use of phrases and descriptions that insult Egyptian woman"
It also describes her as "inconsistent", explaining that during the investigation session "she sometimes apologised, while at other times she confirms she was not mistaken, which means she is unable to distinguish between the clear media rules and personal opinions, and between advice and insult".
Since the ban has been put into place, Saeed has continued to use her social media, posting regularly on Instagram.
During a televised segment, the outspoken host said: "Obese people are dead, they are a burden and they are a burden on their families."
Of overweight women in particular, she added: "You have lost all your femininity, you have lost your smile, you have lost everything."
The council implemented the ban following a complaint from the country's National Council for Women (NCW).
The restriction means that Saeed "must not appear on any media platform including print media and electronic media".
In a statement issued by the complaints committee, which investigated the NCW's objection, it was decided that Saeed had “committed a media crime by insulting Egyptian women, mixed between her personal opinion and her media duty, and violated the professional standards by using expressions, words and descriptions that represent a clear and explicit insult, in general, to Egyptian women".
The statement adds that that Saeed lacked "a sense of media and humanitarianism", listing a number of violations, including "confusing between obese patients and owners of fat bodies" and "causing frustration for patients and the dissatisfaction of viewers due to the use of phrases and descriptions that insult Egyptian woman"
It also describes her as "inconsistent", explaining that during the investigation session "she sometimes apologised, while at other times she confirms she was not mistaken, which means she is unable to distinguish between the clear media rules and personal opinions, and between advice and insult".
Since the ban has been put into place, Saeed has continued to use her social media, posting regularly on Instagram.
