Egyptian TV denies banning appearance of Elham Shahin

The Egyptian TV denied issuing a decision to ban the broadcast of films and works of actress Elham Shahin. Reports claiming so are baseless and aim to spread division, head of the specialized channels sector at the Egyptian Radio and Television Union Ali Abdel-Rahman told MENA. No written or oral orders were given in this regard, Abdel-Rahman said. Kuwait's "Al-Rai" newspaper reported that Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maqsoud gave oral orders to heads of sectors at the union to ban airing the works of Shahin. The ex-glamour star has been in open war with Salafist preacher Abdullah Badr after she criticized Islamists. In turn, Badr instantly used his regular appearances in Islamic TV channel Al Hafez to respond to Shahin, accusing her of "teaching girls adultery and nudity" through her movies. Shahin won recently an administrative Court order mandating that Badr's show on Al-Hafez be taken off air. A court will rule later today in a lawsuit filed by Shahin against the preacher, accusing him of libel and defamation. The Kuwaiti newspaper also claimed that similar orders were given on Lebanese singer Haifa Wahbi, who got divorced last week from Egyptian businessman Ahmed Abu-Hashima.