An Italian mother of a three-year-old girl has been convicted of adultery in Egypt, where the offence is criminalised, raising concerns over her potential imprisonment and ongoing custody dispute.
Nancy Guerra, 26, from Sanremo in northwestern Italy, has been unable to leave Egypt for the past three years following accusations of adultery made by her former husband.
In a video posted on Instagram, Guerra appeared in tears as she reacted to the appeal ruling.
“We didn’t expect this news, and I’m shocked. I’m afraid of losing my little girl. I’m afraid of ending up in prison in Egypt. I don’t know how to ask for help anymore”, she said.
An Egyptian court upheld her initial conviction on 19 February. Her Italian lawyer, Agata Amaretti, criticised the ruling, stating: “Humanely speaking, no one should go to prison for adultery – especially a woman who is a victim of violence”.
Speaking to Italian media on Tuesday, Guerra said she had been forced to frequently change locations within Egypt out of fear of being found by her former husband, whom she accuses of physical abuse and sexual violence.
Tamer Hamouda, her dual Egyptian-Italian ex-husband, had previously been convicted in Italy for violence and stalking, and faces multiple ongoing cases related to child abduction and mistreatment. He was released from prison in Egypt after serving two months.
Hamouda also faces allegations of revenge pornography after reportedly submitting intimate videos of Guerra to Egyptian authorities to support his adultery claims – an offence punishable by up to two years in prison.
Guerra denies all accusations and claims her ex-husband paid a witness to testify against her.
Custody battle over daughter
The former couple, who had been living in Hurghada, are now locked in a protracted custody dispute over their three-year-old daughter, Aisha.
Hamouda has petitioned the courts for custody, prompting authorities to impose a travel ban on the child. Guerra has said she will not leave Egypt without her daughter.
“The only thing I’ve tried to do is escape from that man with my little girl and protect her”, she said.
Currently living in a safe house at an undisclosed location in Egypt with her parents, Guerra has appealed to Italian authorities to intervene through diplomatic channels.
“I truly hope that those in charge, the Italian government, and the institutions, will put their hands on their consciences and help us, because we can no longer go on in this situation that is becoming unbearable”, she pleaded.
Italy’s foreign ministry said the embassy in Cairo and consular services in Hurghada are monitoring the case and providing legal assistance to Guerra and her daughter.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed he had written to his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, in January. Abdelatty responded that Cairo was aware of the appeal and would keep Rome “informed of all developments and measures adopted in this regard”.
