MEP secures assurances on treatment of gay prisoners in Egypt

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 9th Oct 2001

Baroness Sarah Ludford, the Liberal Democrat MEP for London has secured written assurances from both Foreign Office minister Ben Bradshaw MP and European Commissioner Chris Patten about the treatment of the 52 gay men arrested during a raid on a floating nightclub on the Nile.

The two men have pledged that the British government and the EU will continue to monitor closely the treatment of the arrested men.

Sarah Ludford said: "Despite homosexuality being legal in Egypt, these men have reportedly undergone degrading medical examinations to determine whether or not they have ever engaged in gay sex acts.

"They will be put on trial in a state security court and, if convicted, will have no right of appeal. One teenager has already been sentenced to a three-year prison term.

"Since Egypt has an association agreement with the EU which includes a requirement to respect human rights, I shall expect both British and EU leaders to impress upon Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak that this kind of treatment is unacceptable."

The MEP has also urged in the European Parliament that the clause in the EU-Egypt association agreement committing both parties to the observance of human rights should be used as a vehicle to improve the treatment of sexual and other minorities, as well as women, in Egypt.

Later this month, she will table a series of parliamentary questions in the House of Lords to ensure that the Government is continuing to monitor the men's treatment.