The Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) has released an order to ban all forms of support towards the LGBT community on Media outlets.
Head of the SCMR Makram Mohamed said in a statement that homosexuality is a ‘shameful disease’ and shouldn’t be promoted on media. It further added that homosexuals should not be allowed to integrate unless they receive treatment in order to maintain public morality.
Additionally, they should only appear on media outlets to repent and admit that it is an unacceptable behavior.
Mohamed continued in his statement that this decision does not mean turning a blind eye on the ‘disease’, but rather encourage its treatment. He said that this is where the role of media emerges, as it should shed light on the dangers of homosexuality and not on the supporters who try to validate these acts and promote them as basic human rights.
Mohamed went on to say that what western cultures are calling for and trying to normalize cannot be applied in Egypt because the latter has a different set of social and religious basis.
In response, international rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Egypt to stop arresting and harassing homosexuals.
A controversy over homosexuality has recently surfaced in Egypt after rainbow flags had been raised in the concert of the Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila.
Police arrested seven concert-goers, on charges of inciting ‘debauchery’, after they raised a rainbow flag; they will also be subject to anal examinations.
Moreover, the Syndicate of Musical Professions banned Mashrou’ Leila from performing in Egypt.
Earlier in April, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi issued a decree to establish three new bodies to regulate the work of the media in Egypt.
The three bodies are the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), National Press Authority (NPA) and the National Media Authority (NMA).
The SCMR has been formed to regulate media and press affairs.
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