Egypt convicts 8 men who appeared in gay wedding video
Mon. November 3, 2014 7:42 AM by OnTopMag.com
An Egyptian court on Saturday convicted eight men who appeared in a 1-minute video which claims to be from Egypt's first gay wedding.
According to the AP, the men were sentenced to three years in prison for "inciting debauchery."
The video, released over the summer, created controversy when it went viral on social media. In the clip, two grooms and their wedding party celebrate the couple's nuptials aboard a boat on the Nile. Dressed in dark suits, the grooms kiss and hug after they exchange rings.
The prosecution described the video as showing "a devilish shameless party" that "would anger God."
Daily News Egypt reported that the defendants were subjected to medical tests to determine whether they were "habitual" homosexuals. The tests, condemned by human rights groups, included a rectal exam. A spokesman told the outlet that based on the results of the tests the men are "not homosexuals."
While consensual gay sex is not illegal in Egypt, authorities have used other laws to prosecute gay men.
In April, officials accused four men of "practicing debauchery" and an Egyptian court sentenced each to eight years in prison.
In a highly publicized case from 2001, police arrested 52 men aboard the Queen Boat, a floating gay nightclub moored on the Nile in Cairo. The men – referred to as the Cairo 52 – were charged with "habitual debauchery" and defaming Islam. Twenty-one men were given 3-year jail sentences.
According to the AP, the men were sentenced to three years in prison for "inciting debauchery."
The video, released over the summer, created controversy when it went viral on social media. In the clip, two grooms and their wedding party celebrate the couple's nuptials aboard a boat on the Nile. Dressed in dark suits, the grooms kiss and hug after they exchange rings.
The prosecution described the video as showing "a devilish shameless party" that "would anger God."
Daily News Egypt reported that the defendants were subjected to medical tests to determine whether they were "habitual" homosexuals. The tests, condemned by human rights groups, included a rectal exam. A spokesman told the outlet that based on the results of the tests the men are "not homosexuals."
While consensual gay sex is not illegal in Egypt, authorities have used other laws to prosecute gay men.
In April, officials accused four men of "practicing debauchery" and an Egyptian court sentenced each to eight years in prison.
In a highly publicized case from 2001, police arrested 52 men aboard the Queen Boat, a floating gay nightclub moored on the Nile in Cairo. The men – referred to as the Cairo 52 – were charged with "habitual debauchery" and defaming Islam. Twenty-one men were given 3-year jail sentences.
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine