Egypt: 7 men remain detained over anti-gay charges
Seven men in Egypt, who were arrested for breaking the country’s law on sexual conduct, are reportedly still in prison.
According to OutQ News, they were captured in a police raid of a Cairo apartment last month and are accused of being gay.
Homosexuality is not technically illegal in Egypt, so the young men, whose identities are not yet public, are being charged with “practicing debauchery”.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) is monitoring the case and is providing legal assistance to the men, but has only been able to meet with them for a few minutes so far.
The story has been reported heavily in the Egyptian press, and EIPR has told OutQ News that it remains difficult for the group to convince the men that it’s safe to talk with them.
It’s believed the men, who have been made to undergo tests for sexually transmitted infections, are serving out a fifteen day sentence before their case is reviewed.
An EIPR lawyer was scheduled to meet with the men again on Tuesday (6 November).
