Egypt Jails Armenian Belly Dancer for 'Insulting Flag'

A Cairo court on Monday sentenced an Armenian belly dancer to six months in jail for "insulting" Egypt's national flag during a performance last year, a judicial official said.

The dancer, widely known as Safinaz, was also fined 15,000 Egyptian pounds (about $1,960, 1,830 euros), but has been released on bail pending appeal.

Safinaz went on trial for wearing a costume that resembled the tri-colored Egyptian flag during a performance last year in the Red Sea resort town of Ain Sokhna.

Media reports say the Armenian gained instant fame after arriving in Egypt more than two years ago, with her "erotic moves" in performances in several movies and at high-profile weddings.

Safinaz is married to an Egyptian.