07-17-2006, 10:26 PM
I can remember a short while back the case of a homosexual party which took place on a boat on the nile in Egypt. These people were caught by the police and arrested. However, the human rights organisations came to the defence of these people by saying this is their freedom of expression and freedom of association.
In a joint statement, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) condemned the men's detention since May 11, when they were arrested apparently on suspicion that they had engaged in consensual homosexual behavior
Scott Long, IGLHRC's Policy Director said "Egyptian law does not outlaw homosexuality, but these men are being held on charges of violating public morals. They are really being punished for exercising their basic rights to <b>free expression and free association</b>".
The went further saying the right to <b>freedom of expression and association </b> and the right to freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes sexual orientation, are fundamental human rights recognized in international treaties, including the ICCPR. Being held solely on these grounds thus violates these detainees' basic human rights.