Gay Rights

SESSION OF THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2002

Sexual Rights of Homosexuals – Persecutions of Homosexuals in Egypt

Karamanou (PSE). Mr. President, the right to freely choose and express one’s sexuality without fear is a fundamental human right, which Egypt denies to its citizens, despite international condemnation. If the Islamic community truly desires dialogue between cultures, then the first thing it must do is open the dialogue for the understanding of sexuality, in order to stop the public shaming of individuals for allegedly offending morals.

The recent report by Amnesty International describes the suffering of thousands of people who are persecuted and tortured because their real or presumed sexuality is considered to threaten the established order. In more than 70 countries, homosexual relationships are considered a criminal offense, which can even carry the death penalty. But even within the European Union itself, Madam Commissioner, the legal basis of anti-racist legislation needs to be expanded to include sexual orientation, as required by Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty.

In this regard, we should welcome the decision of the Greek Ministry of Justice to abolish Article 347 of the Penal Code, which creates discrimination against homosexuals. We hope that the Egyptian government will do the same and immediately release its citizens who are imprisoned on charges of homosexuality.