Dislike: Outrage as father dangles toddler from tower for Facebook 'likes'

An Algerian man held his two-year-old son outside the window of a high-rise apartment block just to take photos for Facebook, it has emerged.

Narrated

2 min read

The New Arab

18 Jun, 2017

The man posted the image of the stunt on his Facebook account [Facebook]

Outrage and calls for prosecution erupted in Algeria after shocking images emerged of a man dangling a two-year old boy outside the window of a high-rise apartment block, holding him only by his shirt just to take a picture.

The man, believed to be from the city of Bab Ezzouar east of the capital Algiers, posted the image of the stunt on his Facebook account to see if it would garner plenty of "likes", local media reported.

Fury quickly followed as Algerians took to social media to call on local authorities to arrest and punish the perpetrator for endangering the child's life.

"What is most striking is that it appears that the father is carrying his son with his left hand while using his right hand to take the picture, this means the picture is more important than the child's life," one user said in a comment on the image.

Media activist Dalila Belkheir called the individual "not a father but a terrorist" while rights activist Ali Ben Jeddou said "this man should be brought to justice and punished in the most severe way".

Psychologist Dr Noura Rahmani told The New Arab that "such images and actions must not be tolerated, especially in our Algerian society, where crime is rampant".

"The father is unaware of the magnitude of this heinous act which he has committed. In the future, the child may suffer from episodic fits resulting the fear he endured in this act", she said.

Rahmani called in particular on children rights organisations in Algeria to intervene and to take action against the exploitation of children in this regard.