Eight held in Egypt for raising gay rights flag at concert

Participants carry a rainbow flag during a Gay Pride Parade. Picture: Henry Romero/Reuters

Participants carry a rainbow flag during a Gay Pride Parade. Picture: Henry Romero/Reuters

Published Sep 25, 2017

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Cairo - Egyptian police arrested seven

people on Monday after they were seen raising a rainbow flag at

a concert, security sources said, in a rare public show of

support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the

conservative Muslim country.

Security sources said the seven were arrested for "promoting

sexual deviancy," a euphemism in Egypt for homosexuality, after

they were seen on camera raising the rainbow flag at a Mashrou'

Leila concert, a popular Lebanese alternative rock band whose

lead singer is openly gay.

The public prosecutor has not yet announced a decision on

whether formal charges will be filed and a case brought to

court.

Although homosexuality is not specifically outlawed in

Egypt, it is a conservative society and discrimination is rife.

Gay men are frequently arrested and typically charged with

debauchery, immorality or blasphemy.

The largest crackdown on homosexuals in Egypt took place in

2001, when police raided a floating disco called the Queen Boat.

Fifty-two men were tried in the case, which drew widespread

criticism from human rights groups and Western governments.

Reuters

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