Al-Fatiha Condemns Latest Egyptian Convictions—Calls for International
Action
Al-Fatiha,
March 13, 2002
P.O. Box 33532, Washington, DC 20033
Email: gaymuslims@yahoo.com
Media Contact:
Faisal Alam, Founder & Director
US Tel. 202-223-3738, email: gaymuslims@Yahoo.com
Al-Fatiha, an international organization dedicated to
Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexul, and transgendered (LGBT) condemned the
latest round of convictions against 5 men in Egypt today and called for
international action against the government of Egypt.
On Monday, March 11th, five Egyptian men were sentenced
to three years in prison with hard labor for “practicing sexual
immorality,” a local euphemism for homosexuality, according to Reuters’
news sources (see Reuters story below).
Al-Fatiha joined human rights organizations around the
world in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all men in Egypt
who have been convicted because of their alleged sexual orientation.
Al-Fatiha also announced plans today to spearhead another
round of international actions to bring to light the human rights abuses in
Egypt. The exact date and nature of the actions has not been decided.
“The world is watching the actions of the government of
Egypt,” said Faisal Alam, founder & director of Al-Fatiha. “And people
of consience who do not perceive human rights as a western phenomenon will
keep pushing on until all the men who have been arrested thus far are
released.”
Al-Fatiha successfully organized more than a dozen
protests and demonstrations around the world in collaboration with LGBT
organizations, human rights groups, and other allied institutions, on August
15th to protest the ‘Cairo 52’ case.
Al-Fatiha released the following statement today
following the news of the convictions:
The Egyptian government continues its systematic
crackdown on the gay community of Egypt, despite international outcry from
world leaders, religious groups, civic institutions, and human rights
organizations.
Al-Fatiha calls on the international community to express
its anger over the ongoing arrests, detentions, torture, and convictions of
men in Egypt who are being targeted solely because of their alleged sexual
orientation.
The Egyptian government must understand that every one
deserves a fair and unbiased trial. The Egyptian State and Security Court in
which these men are being tried is a violation of international human rights
laws.
European governments including the President and
Parliament of France, the Parliament of Germany, and the Parliament of Europe
have spoken out against the systematic crackdown in Egypt. But the government
of the United States continues to befriend Egypt and its leaders, by granting
more than $1 billion US dollars in foreign aid every year and by failing to
chastise Egypt over its blatant abuse of human rights.
Human rights in Egypt must be guaranteed to every one,
regardless of their sexual orientation, religion, gender, or political
ideology.
Egypt has been the center of Islamic intellectual
learning and discourse for centuries. It is extremely sad that today it has
come to a place in history where it is known for its abuse of human rights and
its arrogance towards international outcry.
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