03/18/2002 "Stars urge Egypt to free gay prisoners "

Stars urge Egypt to free gay prisoners
(Ananova)

Stars including Sir Elton John, Emma Thompson and Eddie Izzard are backing calls for Egypt to free 23 men imprisoned for homosexuality.

The campaign is being lead by former EastEnders star and Labour MEP Michael Cashman.

He says that the European Commission should cancel an EU trade and aid accord signed with Egypt last November unless the men are released.

The "Association Agreement" between the EU and Egypt is subject to recognition of fundamental human rights - something which Egypt has breached, says Mr Cashman.

Egypt's ambassador to Brussels insists that his country does not outlaw homosexuality.

A total of 52 men were arrested in May 2001 and charged with the habitual practice of debauchery. At their trial, 29 were acquitted, but 23 were sentenced to prison terms, including hard labour for between one and five years.

Some of the charges cited contempt of religion and the final written verdict referred to sexual deviancy.

Mr Cashman said that international pressure so far had failed to persuade Egypt's President Mubarak to pardon the men.

And unless there is a breakthrough in talks with Egypt on Tuesday at the European Parliament in Brussels, he will be pressing the Commission to invoke the human rights causes and cancel its agreement with Egypt.

Mr Cashman will use the Tuesday meeting with the Egyptian ambassador to present the petition, whose signatories include Sir Elton, actors Sir Anthony Sher, Sir Ian McKellen, Ms Thompson, Eddie Izzard, Graham Norton and Maureen Lipman.