TV host Mohamed al-Gheiti has expressed his own anti-gay views in the past
An Egyptian TV host has been jailed for one year for interviewing a gay man on his TV show.
Host Mohamed al-Gheiti, who has expressed his own anti-gay views in the past, was sentenced on Sunday.
He was also fined 3,000 Egyptian pounds (€129, $147, £114) by the misdemeanours court in Giza. He will be put under surveillance for one year after leaving prison.
Accused of promoting homosexuality and contempt of religion, al-Gheiti’s sentencing follows the interview in August 2018 in which he and the gay man discussed homosexuality on the LTC TV station.
‘Professional violations’
The interviewee, whose face was blurred to protect his identity, discussed his being a sex worker and his relationships with men.
Following the transmission, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation suspended the channel for two weeks for ‘professional violations’.
The council furthermore said in a statement at the time that LTC TV had failed to abide by the rule ‘banning the appearance of homosexuals or promotion of their slogans.’
LGBTIs face intense challenges in the East African country. Although not specifically outlawed, same-sex sex is punishable under morality laws, such as debauchery and indecency.
A spate of arrests of LGBTIs followed rainbow flags being raised at a Mashrou’ Leila concert in Cairo in 2017. The band, who were formed in Lebanon, have an openly gay frontman, Hamed Sinno.
by Jamie Tabberer
Source – Gay Star News
