THEGAYUK

Tag: Egypt News

Get the latest LGBT+ Egypt news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Egypt.

  • Egyptian TV host imprisoned for talking about homosexuality on air

    Egyptian TV host imprisoned for talking about homosexuality on air

    A TV host has been handed a year-long prison sentence in Egypt after interviewing a gay man live on air.

    rihaij / Pixabay

    TV presenter Mohamed al-Gheiti has landed a year-long prison sentence after interviewing a gay man live on TV in Egypt. The presenter who is known for his anti-gay stance invited a gay man on to his show in August 2018 to discuss homosexuality on air.

    The man’s face was blurred during the show but talked about how he was a sex worker and detailed relationships he had with other men, according to sources.

    The Supreme Council for Media Regulation, Egypt’s media regulator suspended the private channel LTC TV for two weeks after the interview because it said the channel had broken a ban on the “appearance of homosexuals or promotion of their slogans”.

    The Rainbow Flag is a forbidden symbol in the deeply Islamic country. Although homosexuality is technically legal in Egypt it has been treated de facto illegal since 2000.

    Mohamed al-Gheiti was given a year’s prison sentence and fined 3000 Egyptian pounds. After his prison sentence is completed the court order that he put under surveillance for a further year.

    In 2017 concert goers in Egypt were arrested for raising the rainbow flag at a concert and in 2017 six men were facing anal examinations to determine whether they had engaged in same-sex sexual relations, according to Amnesty International.

     

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  • Egypt to free on bail two held for raising rainbow flag


    An Egyptian court has ruled to release on bail two people arrested over the raising of an LGBT rainbow flag at a Cairo concert, their lawyer said Tuesday. The appearance of the symbolic banner of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community among the crowd at a gig by Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila in September sparked a broad crackdown by the authorities.

  • Egypt jails 14 men for being gay

    An Egyptian court on Sunday sentenced 14 men convicted of being homosexuals to three years in jail each for “abnormal” sexual relations, a defence lawyer said. Ishaq Wadie said the men were released on bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($283, 230 euros) each until an appeals trial.

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  • Six men are facing anal examinations in Egypt in crackdown on gay people

    Six men have been arrested in Egypt and are facing an invasive rectal and anal examination in a crackdown against gay people.

    Amnesty International has reported that six men in Egypt have been arrested and are facing “invasive forensic anal examinations” to prove their homosexuality.

    The arrests, on the evening of 27 September, came shortly after Egypt’s chief prosecutor announced an investigation in response to a public backlash against a recent concert in Cairo by the Lebanese band Mashrou’ Laila where members of the crowd raised a rainbow flag.

    Days after the rainbow flag was raised, Egyptian authorities began arresting men on charges of “debauchery”, the first of which, a 19-year-old man was sentenced to six years in prison, followed by six years of probation.

    The Rainbow flag is seen as an international symbol of LGBT+ rights and equality. Egypt has no LGBT+ protections and same-sex sex between men although not specifically outlawed can be punished under morality laws.

    Two other men who were arrested earlier this week and are currently detained in Agouza police station in Cairo are due to stand trial on 11 October. Another two men were arrested on 28 September and are detained in Dokki police station.

    Although not specifically outlawed, gay sex can be punished under morality laws with punishments including imprisonment of up to 17 years,  hard labour and fines. The country has abysmal legal protections for LGBT+ people.

    “Forced anal examinations are abhorrent and amount to torture”

    The Forensic Medical Authority is due to subject the six men to anal examinations to determine whether they have engaged in same-sex sexual relations. Amnesty International believes that such examinations violate the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under international law.

    “The fact that Egypt’s Public Prosecutor is prioritizing hunting down people based on their perceived sexual orientation is utterly deplorable. These men should be released immediately and unconditionally – not put on trial,” said Najia Bounaim, North Africa Campaigns Director at Amnesty International.

    “Forced anal examinations are abhorrent and amount to torture. The Egyptian authorities have an appalling track record of using invasive physical tests which amount to torture against detainees in their custody. All plans to carry out such tests on these men must be stopped immediately.”

    Human rights violations

    According to AI, anal examinations violate the UN Convention against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Convention on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The UN Committee against Torture has emphasized that they “have no medical justification and cannot be consented to fully.”

     

  • Egypt concert-goers arrested for raising rainbow flag

    At least six people have been arrested in Egypt after raising the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at a Cairo concert, security and judicial sources said. They are accused of “public indecency” and “inciting immorality among young people”, the sources said following Monday’s arrests.