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 Egypt's Jailing of 52 Suspected as Gay Egyptian Government Seen Trying to Appease Fundamentalists Media Attention Waning in Wake of Terrorist Attacks on USA |
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Compiled By GayToday
IGLHRC fears that the decrease in media attention to the situation in Egypt and the relaxing of international pressure will allow the government of Egypt to continue to punish the Cairo-52 unchallenged. The 'war on terrorism' is seen in parts of the Middle East as an attack on Islam. The government of Egypt, trying to appease the religious right's opposition to Egypt's participation in such a 'war,' is ready to sacrifice the rights of its own homosexual population," said Surina Khan, IGLHRC's Executive Director. One of the detained has already received the maximum penalty allowed by law. A teenager, tried in a juvenile court because of his age, was sentenced September 18 to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of probation. Lawyers and trial observers expect the other detainees to get heavy sentences as well. Some of the imprisoned men have told reporters and families that they have been continuously tortured in jail.
The 52 Egyptian men were arrested in May at a Cairo discotheque believed to be a gathering place for homosexuals. They were charged with "obscene behavior" and "contempt of religion." International human rights organizations have expressed concern that the men were arrested solely because of their homosexuality, that some of them have been submitted to beatings and other forms of torture while in detention, and that their case is being tried in an Emergency State Security Court whose rulings cannot be appealed (see http://www.iglhrc.org/news/press/pr_010703.html for joint statement by IGLHRC and Human Rights Watch). On August 3rd 35 members of Congress signed on a letter drafted by U.S. Representatives Barney Frank and Tom Lantos to Egypt's President Hosni Mobarak, expressing "strong disapproval" of the arrests. (see text of letter at http://www.iglhrc.org/world/africa/Egypt2001Aug_2.html). Egypt remains the second largest recipient of US aid. For additional background information see http://www.iglhrc.org/world/africa/index.html#Egypt. IGLHRC is a US-based non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to protect and advance the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. |
San Francisco, California-- Concern about the effect of terrorism and war on the fate of the Cairo-52 men detained in Egypt because of their presumed homosexuality has been
expressed by The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC).
