Egypt
Egyptian gay persecution provokes debates

afrol News, 13 February - International condemnation of the Egyptian purges against homosexuals is on the increase; last week even pronounced by French President Jacques Chirac. In Egypt, however, the topic is that taboo, even human rights organisations will not discuss it, though admitting they are "letting" the homosexuals "down."

On 8 February French President Chirac voiced his "sadness and concern" to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on the imprisonment of homosexuals in Egypt. Chirac had told Mubarak that, without wishing to interfere in Egyptian affairs, he hoped the 23 homosexual men who were convicted last November for sexual immorality could be released. 

In the US and in other European countries several groups of politicians have lodged protests as well. Most loudly, protests have been voiced by international human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, but also by gay rights groups such as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and the Muslim gay's organisation al Fatiha.

In Egypt, quite contrary, condemnation of homosexuality is close to universal - even though homosexual acts are not expressly criminalized in the country. So far, at least 71 gay men have been detained and 31 convicted for "debauchery" since May 2001. The entire Egyptian press is scandalised - not over the arrests but over presence of people "practicing deviant rituals and ... abnormal activities." 

Amidst the international outcry against the persecution, Egyptian human rights groups have been remarkably silent. Hisham Kassem, director of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, interviewed by told The Associated Press news agency this week, said his organisation was not able to defend gay rights because this would alienate Egyptians in general. 

- What could we do? asked Kassem. "Nothing. If we were to uphold this issue, this would be the end of what remains of the concept of human rights in Egypt." Kassem however admits; "We let them [homosexuals] down, but I don't have a mandate from the people, and I don't want the West to set the pace for the human rights movement in Egypt."

The Egyptian press indeed launched "a vicious smear campaign" against homosexuals already in May 2001, according to IGLHRC. Homosexuals were identified as Europeanised cosmopolitans and Israeli sympathizers and were charged with Satanism by the local press. Last year, the Egyptian daily 'Al Maasa' alleged the homosexuals belonged to an organised perverse group of religious heretics as well as being foreign agents. 

Also the recent international protests have provoked the Egyptian press. In its latest issue, the pro-government 'Rose El-Youssef' weekly described the global complaints as "an international homosexual campaign against Egypt." 

IGLHRC, finding little backing in Egypt, again is turning to the international community to protests the gay purges. Yesterday, the Commission issued a call to the US Administration and the European Union to pressure Egypt's government to "end the campaign of persecution" and to release the men now in prison.

- The US and The European Union cannot ignore the human rights records of their allies, stated Scott Long of the group. "Because of charges about their consensual sexual conduct, scores of innocent people are tortured and sent to prison or hard labour in Egypt," he added "and the Egyptian government is rewarded with hard cash." 

Long slams the US government and the EU of remaining largely silent, except for small symbolic gestures such as Chirac's statement. "Homosexuality is not a crime and is not obscene," added Mr Long. "Jailing and torturing innocent people is both, and the US and the EU need to make that distinction perfectly clear.". 

Source: Based on press reports, French Presidency, IGLHRC and afrol archives

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