The Penal Code divides crimes into three types: felonies, misdemeanours and contraventions (art. 9).
- Felonies are crimes punishable by death, life imprisonment (al-sijn al-mu'abbad), aggravated imprisonment (al-sijn al-mushaddad) or imprisonment (al-sijn) (art. 10). Aggravated imprisonment may not be less than three years or more than fifteen years except in special cases (art. 14), and the same applies to imprisonment (art. 16).
- Misdemeanours are crimes punishable by detention (al-habs) or a fine whose maximum exceeds one hundred pounds (art. 11). Detention may not be less than twenty-four hours or more than three years except in special cases (art. 18).
- Contraventions are crimes punishable by a fine whose maximum does not exceed one hundred pounds (art. 12).
Detention is of two kinds, simple detention and detention with labour (art. 19), and detention with labour must be ordered whenever the term is one year or more (art. 20). The distinction between the three types therefore turns mainly on the type and amount of the prescribed penalty.
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This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a lawyer licensed in Egypt.