Cairo court clears 26 men accused of ‘debauchery’ in Turkish bath

An Egyptian court on Monday acquitted 26 men accused of “debauchery” after their night-time arrest from a Cairo bathhouse for suspected homosexual activity, in a case which triggered international concern. The men were arrested in the December 7 raid on a hamam in the Azbakeya district of the capital, amid fears of a widening police crackdown on gays in Egypt. The raid was filmed by a female television journalist, who days later aired its footage on the “The Hidden,” a weekly programme on pro-regime private satellite channel Al-Qahira Wel Nas.

The ruling proved our innocence and cleared the name of the hamam. I swear we did nothing wrong

Hamam owner Fathy Abdel Rahman

The footage showed the near-naked men, covering their faces and wearing only towels, dragged out of the hamam and loaded onto police trucks. ”Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), Long live justice,” chanted the defendants when the verdict was announced. ”Long live justice and the police,” cheered the jubilant families of the defendants, some of who clashed with reporters and photographers before the hearing began. Egyptian law does not expressly ban homosexuality, but gay men have previously been arrested and charged with debauchery instead, taking part in “sexual practices contrary to Islam”.

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