 We Say It's Time For Tourists to Boycott
Egypt
As the farcical, though tragic, case
against the 52 detainees continues and with ongoing revelations of
torture, arbitrary arrests, forced confessions and extensive
monitoring of those gay men in Egypt lucky enough to remain outside
custody, GayEgypt.com is requesting tourists not to
visit Egypt.
Since the raid on the Queen Boat we have
received a flood of letters requesting the strongest measures be
taken to force the Egyptian Government to its' senses. You asked how
could tourists continue to visit Egypt and support the country with
their dollars, deutchmarks or pounds while the very same Government
continues to violate even the most basic human rights.
It's
not as if the Queen Boat Raid was an isolated case. Every day gay
men are arrested with or without charge in cities from Aswan to
Alexandria, beaten and abused in custody and forced to sign
confessions to any offence deemed suitable by the police. In Luxor
one man was brutally beaten for days just for his effeminate
demeanour - he had never even been to a discotheque. Now as he works
as a waitor in a small restaurant he tries hard to remain discreet
and to act "like a man".
This site was first set up in April
2000 after the first raid on the Queen Boat. Then there was no
newspaper attention because the individuals were beaten, held for
several days in custody and then released. One of GayEgypt.com
writers was himself present when the raid took place one Thursday
night at the end of March and saw one man brutally kicked on the
pavement by three policemen who stood over him on the pavement as he
begged for mercy.
In several cities gay men have been
targeted by the Security Police and blindfolded and threatened or
exposed to torture and forced to reveal the identities of others. In
Luxor and Aswan the State Security Police have used similar measures
to obtain information about visiting tourists.
THERE COMES A TIME WHEN WE HAVE TO SAY "ENOUGH". SAY NO
TO CONTINUED TORTURE AND INTIMIDATION. DON'T VISIT
EGYPT.
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