Tourist arrested for taking obscene photo at Giza pyramids, later released

Egyptian authorities have released a US tourist who was arrested after he allegedly tried to photograph himself mooning in front of the Giza pyramids.

The man was taken into custody on Saturday while trying to capture the moment inside the pyramid complex, which includes the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure, located on the outskirts of Cairo, a security official told Efe news on Sunday.

The foreigner did not have his passport on him when he was caught by workers at the complex.

Apparently under the influence of an intoxicant, the tourist has been investigated for public indecency, the security official said.

The tourist, nonetheless, was released less than 24 hours after his arrest.

The South Giza District Attorney’s Office decided to release the tourist and another person travelling with him after the American and his friend each paid a 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($300) fine, the office said in a statement.

The two were accompanied by a representative of the US Embassy, the security official said, adding that the tourists could now leave the North African nation.

This is the most recent episode in a string of controversial incidents at the pyramids in the past few years.

In 2018, a Danish couple recorded a video atop the Great Pyramid of Giza of themselves having sexual intercourse.

In 2015, an adult-content video shot in Giza sparked controversy in Egypt.

That same year, Andrej Ciesielski, of Germany, was arrested and handed a lifetime ban on entering Egypt after he climbed one of the pyramids and posted a video of his adventure on social media.

Climbing the pyramids is forbidden by law.

A Belgian model and a photographer were arrested in 2017 in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor after she posed naked inside the Karnak Temple Complex.

According to reports, the model was pretending to be Queen Nefertari, the favourite wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty (1539-1075 BC).

An Egyptian judge released the two after warning them against repeating “such stupid and disgraceful” acts.