Egypt Court Jails Five Men in "Gay" Trial
Reuters, March 11, 2002
CAIRO (Reuters)—An Egyptian court sentenced five
men to three years in jail on Monday on charges of "practising sexual
immorality," a local euphemism for homosexuality, security sources said.
The court said the prison term for each of the men, who were arrested in
Cairo in January, would be followed by three years probation.
A police source said the men had also been accused of wearing women’s
clothes and make-up.
Human rights groups have criticised Egypt for its treatment of homosexuals
after an emergency state security court sentenced 23 men to jail terms of one
to five years last year on sexual immorality charges. Another 29 men were
acquitted.
New York-based Human Rights Watch called that trial a "miscarriage of
justice" after the men were convicted in a state security court under
emergency laws.
International rights groups have called on Egypt to release anyone
imprisoned solely on the basis of sexual orientation.
Egypt has dismissed criticism of the case, saying the West should not
impose its values on Egypt.
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