DEPRESSING

Report: Egypt ‘Hunting Down Gays,’ Forcing Anal Exams

After arresting several people for displaying a rainbow flag.

Six Egyptian men arrested for “debauchery” and “promoting sexual deviancy” on social media are now facing forced anal exams, Reuters reports, citing judicial sources and a top human rights group. The men, members of a group arrested for holding up a rainbow flag at a concert on Sept. 22, will be examined by the country’s Forensic Medical Authority to determine whether they’ve had homosexual sex ahead of their trial on Sunday, Amnesty International said Saturday. Judicial sources cited by Reuters said any person accused of “debauchery” or “promoting sexual deviancy” is subject to a medical exam. “The examinations are carried out by a forensic doctor who swore to respect his profession and its ethics,” one judicial source said. Amnesty International says the move is part of a wider “homophobic crackdown” in which authorities are “prioritizing hunting down people based on their perceived sexual orientation.” Nearly a dozen people have been arrested for displaying the rainbow flag at a concert by Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila, whose singer is openly gay.