Egypt Tortures Gay Men

Arab Muslims countries are not known for their tolerance of homosexuality - indeed, in the Middle East the only country where gays can live without fear is Israel. Egypt, however, has become especially bad recently. Undercover police are arresting and torturing gays; suspects are being subjected to medical examinations by doctors in order to forensically prove" that they are gay or bisexual.

Gay.com reports:

Once arrested under the charge of "habitual practice of debauchery," men are beaten and tortured by police, HRW says. The report cites testimonies of victims telling how they were bound, suspended in painful positions, burned with cigarettes or submerged in ice-cold water and subjected to electroshock on their limbs and genitals. ... "It saddens me that Human Rights Watch has been documenting torture in Egypt for over a decade," said Roth. "The government's recent initiatives to improve its human rights image mean nothing unless it lives up to its obligation to investigate and punish those responsible for torture."

Countries like Egypt aren't known for protecting or respecting human rights generally. One could argue that these governments don't even acknowledge that such a thing as "human rights" might exist in the first place - all that matters to them is power and control over the population. Arresting and torturing people who are different is a method often used to keep people in line and prevent them from living their lives for themselves.

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