Egypt: All 26 men acquitted of ‘debauchery’ in bathhouse case
In a case where 26 Egyptian men were accused of “debauchery”, for having gay sex in a Cairo bathhouse, all of the accused have been acquitted.
The bathhouse owner was accused by prosecutors of facilitating the “practice, facilitate and incite debauchery.”
Mona Iraqi, a reporter with El Mostakbai, from the Al-Qahira wal Nas channel, wrote on her Facebook page: “With pictures, we reveal the biggest den of perversions in the heart of Cairo.”
According to reports, the forensic teams investigating at the scene had said there was no conclusive evidence that “homosexual acts” had taken place.
All 26 men have now been found innocent of the debauchery charges. The Associated Press reports that the courthouse was “frenzied” after the acquittal was handed down.
Gay rights activists say the past twelve months have been the worst in a long time for Egypt’s gay community.
Althought gay sex is not illegal there, debauchery laws are often used to prosecute those found having same-sex relations.
