Egypt: Anti-LGBT crackdown nationwide

Event

Egyptian authorities have arrested at least 33 people since Friday, September 22, when several attendees raised a rainbow LGBT pride flag at a Mashrou' Leila concert in Cairo. A photo of the raised flag sparked an intense media backlash, after which authorities arrested those involved in the incident as well as a crackdown on anyone perceived to be a member of the LGBT community. Rights groups have characterized the treatment of those arrested as a form of torture, and have called for their immediate release. Further related actions targeting LGBT groups are likely in the near-term.

Context

Mashrou' Leila is a popular Lebanese alternative rock group known for opposing many of the region's conservative social norms. The group maintains a large, devoted fan base across the Middle East as well as in Europe and North America. Conservative groups have pressured regional governments toban performances by Mashrou' Leila in the past, including in Egypt and Jordan.

Egypt is a deeply conservative and religious society, where public displays of support for LGBT rights are extremely rare.

Advice

Those present in Egypt are advised to maintain a low profile and adhere to local social norms due to the risk of arrest and/or violence against members of the LGBT community.

More generally, due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to northern Sinai, where the authorities maintain a media blackout and special security zones due to the persistent terrorist threat.