Doctor Forced Nurse To Kneel Before His Dog, Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison

A doctor in Egypt has ended up behind bars for ordering a nurse to kneel before his dog.

The video of the incident, which showed the male nurse also being forced to salute the animal, had gone viral last month. An Egyptian court Saturday sentenced the doctor, identified as Dr Amr Khairi, and two other hospital workers to two years in prison. They have also been ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 Egyptian pounds (about $6,300) each, reported The National News.

The incident came to light in September after the video showing the doctor and the two others rebuking the nurse for insulting the doctor's dog went viral. One of the men, who also shot the video, is seen threatening the nurse he will have to jump over a skipping rope if he has to keep the job. They repeatedly insult and hit him with a stick as he protests his treatment.

At one point, the nurse is seen being threatened with electrocution. They then ask the victim to give the dog a military salute and kneel before the animal. The nurse is seen protesting, saying it is a sin to do so.

The video caused an outcry in Cairo, following which Egypt's chief prosecutor Hamada El Sawy ordered an investigation into the incident. An arrest warrant was also issued against the three men.

During the investigation, the nurse revealed the video had been filmed six months earlier, and its release had harmed him and his family in their hometown. It also became clear the accused leaked the video through a fake account, intending to humiliate the nurse, the prosecution statement said. The Egyptian Health Ministry later fired the doctor over the incident.

The doctor then appeared in a TV interview to say the video was meant as a joke and had been misconstrued. He claimed he had known the nurse for over two decades. The nurse also said later he did what was being asked of him because he knew it was a joke and said he had no idea that the videos would be posted online.

However, the Cairo Criminal Court ruled the three were guilty of "attacking Egyptian family values," and breaching the nurse's privacy when they posted the video online.

“While abusing their power and exploiting his weakness, the men's intent was to ridicule and demean," chief prosecutor El Sawy said during the ruling.