Egypt: Men arrested over ‘same-sex wedding’ video
A number of men have been arrested in Egypt, after appearing in a video showing an unofficial same-sex wedding ceremony.
The video of the wedding, which was held in April on a riverboat in the Nile, recently went viral on social media in Egypt, with many calling for the men to be identified and put to death.
The public prosecutor’s office said in a statement that police are taking action to identify the men, claiming the wedding constituted a criminal act because the images were “humiliating, regrettable and would anger God”.
Seven men have so far been arrested, according to Reuters, with another two to be tracked down.
The men will be subject to “physical examinations” – to determine whether they have had anal sex – after which they will face charges for inciting debauchery and spreading images that ‘violate public decency’.
The prosecutor general called for a speedy trial to convict the men, in order to “safeguard the values of society and implement justice”.
Homosexuality is illegal in Egypt, and it is feared that the police are cracking down on the gay community after a surge in raids and arrests earlier this year.
52 men were arrested in a raid on a ‘gay’ party in 2001, with 23 of the men receiving prison terms.
Watch the clip below:
