 |
'Stop the Sham Trials!' |
|
Compiled By GayToday
IGLHRC
IGLHRC was encouraged by the Egyptian government's decision to cancel the verdicts against men convicted of the "habitual practice of debauchery." Initial press reports last week held that President Hosni Mubarak had ordered a full retrial for 50 of the 52 defendants in the notorious case--including 29 men who were acquitted as well as 21 who were convicted. IGLHRC has learned that these reports were inaccurate. Instead, officials actually annulled the verdicts in all those 50 cases. Both guilty and innocent verdicts were sent back to prosecutors, who will now have the power to decide whether to seek a retrial. The Ministry of Interior ordered that the 21 men in prison be released on bail, pending the prosecutors' decision whether to try them again. Most will be freed within days or weeks. However, prosecutors may still decide to seek a retrial not only for those men but for the 29 acquitted. Any retrial would be held in an ordinarily court, rather than an Emergency State Security Court--a repressive" anti-terrorist" court which heard the original case, and which does not allow appeal. "At the same time," added Mr. Long, "the prison sentences of two men in this case have been confirmed--and many other suspected gay men across Egypt remain in prison. We must continue to press the Egyptian government to meet its international obligations, not just in a few symbolic cases, but across the board." President Mubarak apparently cancelled the verdicts of all the men who were charged only with "habitual practice of debauchery," in a tacit admission that that charge does not, under Egyptian law, merit a trial before an Emergency State Security Court. At the same time, he confirmed the harsh verdicts against two men in the same case who were convicted of "contempt of religion." "The President continues to lend his endorsement to the Emergency State Security Courts," said Mr. Long--"courts routinely used to suppress peaceful dissent, and which violate any standard for a fair trial. And the President's decision also baldly declares that freedom of religion and freedom of expression do not exist in Egypt."
All 52 pleaded innocent. In the November 14 verdict, 21 defendants were convicted of "habitual practice of debauchery" under Article 9(c) of Law 10/1961 (on the Combat of Prostitution). One defendant was convicted of "contempt for religion" under Article 98f of the Penal Code. Another defendant, accused of being the "ringleader," was convicted of both charges and received the heaviest sentence, five years at hard labor. Those last two defendants will still serve their terms, according to the Presidential decision. Background information, see http://www.iglhrc.org/world/africa/#Egypt |
Human rights activists are critical of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's handling of the trial of 52 gay defendants 