An Egyptian lawyer has sparked outrage after saying women who wear ripped jeans deserve to be sexually harassed and raped.

Nabih al-Wahsh, a prominent conservative in Egypt, said raping women who wear ripped jeans is a man’s “national duty”, adding that girls who show parts of their body by wearing such clothes are inviting men to harass them.

His disgusting comments were made during a TV talk show called “Infrad” on satellite channel Al-Assema.

The panel were debating a draft law on prostitution and “inciting debauchery” when Wahsh made the jaw-dropping comments.

During the heated debate, Wahsh said: “Are you happy when you see a girl walking down the street with half of her behind showing?”

He added: “I say that when a girl walks about like that, it is a patriotic duty to sexually harass her and a national duty to rape her.”

His controversial remarks prompted fury across the country and Egypt’s National Council for Women announced it plans to file a complaint to the attorney general against Wahsh and the TV channel.

The council said it had also filed a complaint to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation and urged media outlets not to invite controversial figures who make remarks that incite violence against women.

Wahsh later said his comments were a call to demand stricter punishment for sexual harassment.

He added: “Girls must respect themselves so others respect them. Protecting morals is more important than protecting borders.”