Six Egyptians subjected to anal examinations ahead of trial for ‘sexual deviancy’
Six people arrested this week in Egypt will be subjected to anal examinations ahead of a trial on 1 October.
The six people were arrested as part of a wider crackdown on LGBT+ people in the country.
They are accused of promoting “promoting sexual deviancy” and “debauchery” on social media.
On Saturday, Amnesty International said the six people have been told they will be subjected to anal examinations ahead of their trial.
The examinations were ordered by Egypt’s Forensic Medicine Authority.
Human Rights Watch condemned the examinations.
“Whether they were waving a rainbow flag, chatting on a dating app, or minding their own business in the streets, all these debauchery arrest victims should be immediately released,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
“The Egyptian government, by rounding people up based on their presumed sexual orientation, is showing flagrant disregard for their rights.”
“Egypt should stop dedicating state resources to hunting people down for what they allegedly do in their bedrooms, or for expressing themselves at a rock concert, and should instead focus energy on improving its dire human rights record,” Whitson added.
Last weekend seven people were arrested in Egypt after authorities accused them of being gay and promoting their homosexuality by flying a rainbow Pride flag at a gig.
Over the weekend, on September 24, a group of people were watching the Lebanese indie rock band Mashrou’ Leila in Cairo.
The singer of the band is openly gay and at the concert, the people waved a Pride flag.
They have since been wrongfully arrested and charged with “inciting immorality” as they allegedly promoted homosexuality by raising the flag.
Related: Mashrou’ Leila band misses performance in Jordan after being banned for gay singer
Homosexuality is not prohibited by law in the country, however, the conservative society thinks of it as a taboo.
The authorities are trying to convict the group under charges of “immorality” and “debauchery”, which is usually how they convict sex workers.
The band was playing at the Cairo city festival and had obtained all of the required permits to do so.
They have been banned from performing in the country ever again.
Reza Ragab, the deputy head of the official musicians union, said that they were disappointed it took place “on Egyptian soil”.
“We are against gay art,” Ragab said. “It is depraved art.”
The band has said that it was an “honour to play to such a wonderful crowd.”
Police often carry out large raids to arrest people accused of homosexuality.
In 2001, the country cause controversy as 52 men were arrested on a floating boat nightclub on the Nile.
A trial was then launched, drawing global attention.
Half of the men were sentenced to prison time, a move widely criticised by human rights groups.
