Amnesty International reports that at least 11 men have since been arrested, and one man has been sentenced to six years in jail after Egyptian media launched a critical campaign against those who raised the rainbow flag at a Mashrou’ Leila concert, a popular Lebanese alternative rock band whose lead singer is openly gay.
Six of the Egyptian men arrested for “promoting sexual deviancy” and “debauchery” on social media will be subjected to anal examinations ahead of their October 1 trial.
Via The Sydney Morning Herald:
Amnesty said the Forensic Medical Authority was due to subject the six men to anal examinations to determine whether they have had homosexual sex.
Judicial sources said any defendant accused of “debauchery” or “sexual deviancy”, a euphemism for homosexuality in Egypt, is subjected to a medical examination based on an order from the Public Prosecutor.
Egypt’s Muslim religious establishment is voicing its support for the government’s moves against homosexuals.
“Al Azhar will stand against calls for sexual perversion the same way it has stood against extremist groups,” a preacher at the 1000-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning said in his Friday prayers sermon.
Although homosexuality is not specifically outlawed in Egypt, it is a conservative society and discrimination is rife. Gay men are frequently arrested and typically charged with debauchery, immorality or blasphemy.
In recent months I have been reading these posts about Muslim persecutions of Homosexuality. The clerics who quote the Quran never seem to agree on the interpretation. They never agree even on the “true” interpretation. The same problems exist in the Talmud and Bible. The scholars of these works agree there is room for interpretation Why is it only Muslim scholars of the Quran presume to think they have it right? As I understand the writings of these same clerics. It is blasphemy to use the tools of science. So therefore they are violating Sharia law in these examinations!