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Egyptian TV Host Sentenced To One Year In Prison For Interviewing Gay Man

Homosexuality is not a crime in Egypt, but is widely seen as taboo in the conservative, Muslim-majority country.
Representative image.
alexis84 via Getty Images
Representative image.

CAIRO — An Egyptian court has sentenced a TV presenter to a year in prison for interviewing a gay sex worker on his show.

Mohammed el-Gheiti was found guilty of encouraging immorality over an August 2018 segment in which the guest described his profession. El-Gheiti, who can appeal the ruling, was fined around $170 and is free pending a final verdict. The charges stem from a complaint filed by a private lawyer.

Egypt has waged a crackdown on perceived homosexuality in recent years, imprisoning people on vague charges of “debauchery.” Homosexuality is not a crime in Egypt, but is widely seen as taboo in the conservative, Muslim-majority country. Prostitution is illegal.

In September 2017, authorities arrested dozens of people after several waved an LGBT rainbow flag at a Cairo concert.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.