Two Egyptian men arrested for allegedly blackmailing teenage girl who took her life

CAIRO – Authorities in Egypt’s northern Gharbia province arrested two young men on Tuesday for allegedly blackmailing 17-year-old Bassant Khaled with indecent doctored pictures, which led her to take her own life earlier in December, local news outlets reported.   

The two suspects, who had earlier fled their homes upon Khaled's death, have been referred to the prosecution for interrogation, the reports added.

The pictures of the two young men have been circulating on social media for some hours.

No further details were immediately available.

The two had allegedly fabricated improper photos of Khaled to blackmail her, asking her to enter into a relationship with them. When she refused, they posted the pictures online, creating a scandal in her ultraconservative community.

The victim had informed her family of the names of the two alleged blackmailers before her death. They reported them to the authorities.

The case has caused an uproar on social media, with Egyptians using the hashtag "Bassant's right must return" and pictures of the victim and a copy of her suicide note shared online.