23 - 29 August 2001
Issue No.548
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 23 - 29 August 2001 Issue No.548 |
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Outcry over Queen boat trial
Under the eyes of the international and Egyptian media, the trial of 52 men accused of engaging in acts of sexual immorality resumed. Rana Allamwas there
Amidst tight security the trial of 52 young men accused of deriding religion and "habitual debauchery" with men resumed on 15 August. Since Egyptian law does not penalise homosexuality, the prosecution has resorted to an article of the penal code which is commonly used to prosecute prostitution cases. As the accused were roughly pushed by policemen into the caged dock, they covered their faces with handkerchiefs or hid behind guards to prevent photographers from taking pictures that would reveal their identity.
The 52 young defendants hide their faces from photographers
photo: AFPChaos had reigned when the trial opened on 18 July as families of the defendants attacked reporters and photographers -- both verbally and physically. On 15 August, tighter security was imposed to prevent families from accosting reporters and to bar defendants from speaking with either their families or journalists. A larger dock was in place and a bigger security contingent was in evidence. Whenever any of the accused attempted to converse with reporters, security shouted them down with calls to "shut up" or "stop that guy."
In this latest hearing session, which lasted for over three hours, the defendants again pleaded "not guilty" and defence lawyers presented their requests. The defence argued that a State Security Misdemeanours Court, which is hearing the case under provisions of the Emergency Law, has no jurisdiction for such a trial, asserting that it should be conducted by a normal misdemeanours court.
Lawyers also requested the release of the prisoners on the grounds that they do not pose a threat to national security. The presiding judge rejected these two demands and postponed hearings until 29 August. The only request the judge granted was to allow lawyers to view the evidence gathered by police from one of the defendants' homes. This includes photographs, most of which are pornographic, and 10 copies of a book said to deride monotheistic religions entitled God's Soldiers Agency. The evidence was allegedly seized from the first defendant's home.
Lawyer Farid El-Deeb, representing the first defendant, said that his client along with another defendant, who are accused of contempt of religion, have no connection to the rest of the group who are accused of debauchery. Although charges related to contempt of religion are usually brought to a State Security Court, El-Deeb argued that because charges of habitual debauchery are usually heard by a civil court, and since all defendants are to be tried together, the case should be heard by a civil misdemeanours court. El-Deeb also criticised the press saying that it has blown the case out of proportion and condemned the defendants without evidence, "destroying their lives and defaming their families."
The case has received extensive press coverage. Sections of the Egyptian press have published the names and workplaces of the defendants, usually accompanied by a host of allegations regarding their sexual practices and religious convictions. As a result, families of the defendants refused to talk to Egyptian reporters. "Are you Egyptian?" they would ask first -- but they practically ran after foreign correspondents to make statements.
The foreign press and media, as well as foreign human rights groups, have sympathised with the defendants. But Egyptian rights groups distanced themselves from the case. "We have our reasons," said Hesham Qassem of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR). "Taking up such a case will jeopardise our credibility with average Egyptians and other cases of human rights [violations] are more worthy of our attention," Qassem said. He added that the EOHR cannot impose foreign values on Egypt. "This is a lost battle; we take it up, the government will seize the opportunity to destroy us and we will be discredited in the eyes of the people," Qassem explained.
Using the Internet, the Egyptian gay community publicised its existence and thus exposed itself to the public and law enforcement. "Police have been hacking our mailing lists, our match-making sites and setting up dates with gays and arresting them," says an activist from the Egyptian gay community. He adds that all mailing lists and sites have closed down. One site carries the warning: "The Egyptian police may be watching you."
The Internet also served as a conduit to link gay Muslims from around the world. One such group, the US-based "Al-Fatiha," has called for protests in front of Egyptian embassies in various capitals. Al-Fatiha also declared 15 August an "International Day of Solidarity and Mourning." According to a press release issued by the founder of the group, Faisal Alam, who is based in Washington DC, "hundreds of people joined in demonstrations in cities throughout the world to protest the detention of the 52 men." In its 17 August press release, Al-Fatiha also called for continued pressure on the Egyptian government and demanded the unconditional and immediate release of the detainees.
Reports of international pressure on the Egyptian government were all over foreign newspapers during the past two weeks, but received no response from the government. "The pressure did not come from governments or human rights organisations such as Amnesty [International] or Human Rights Watch, but from gay lobbies and organisations," says Qassem, explaining that in the view of the Egyptian government this does not constitute "real pressure." Al-Fatiha's Alam said that "reports indicate that the Egyptian government was overwhelmed with e-mails, phone calls and faxes. E-mails were bouncing back and the Egyptian Embassy's Web site in the United States was inactive on the day of the demonstrations." Some 35 American Congressmen signed a statement condemning the detention of the 52 men, while nine members of the German parliament signed a similar statement.
The extensive press coverage and international sympathy for the defendants were probably the last things on the mind of the police officer who ordered the raid on the Queen Boat, alleged to be a gay hangout, in the early hours of 11 May, arresting 55 men, three of whom were released before the opening of the trial. The Emergency Law, which was invoked to allow the case to be tried by a State Security Court, has been in force since the 1981 assassination of President Anwar El- Sadat.
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