Egyptian television presenter Mohammed el-Gheiti has been sentenced to prison for interviewing a gay man. Source: YouTube
Camera IconEgyptian television presenter Mohammed el-Gheiti has been sentenced to prison for interviewing a gay man. Source: YouTube Credit: Supplied

Television presenter jailed for “promoting homosexuality” in Egypt

APNews Corp Australia Network

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.

The gay man’s identity was hidden.

Egyptian TV host Mohammed el-Gheiti has been jailed for “promoting homosexuality”. Source: YouTube
Camera IconEgyptian TV host Mohammed el-Gheiti has been jailed for “promoting homosexuality”. Source: YouTube Credit: Supplied

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El-Gheiti, who can appeal the ruling, was fined around $US170 ($A237) and is free pending a final verdict.

The charges stem from a complaint filed by a private lawyer.

The TV host had himself reportedly expressed views against homosexuality in the past.

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.