From The Daily Beast June 28, 2014 Cairo, Egypt The party at a villa in a western suburb of Cairo was in full swing when three armored police trucks quietly pulled up to the main gate. More than 300 men and women from the gay community had gathered in Kerdassa on the same day, November
Egypt is one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East. The great majority of its estimated 82 million live near the banks of the Nile River. Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization and some of the world’s most famous monuments, including the Giza pyramid complex and its Great Sphinx. The southern city of Luxor contains numerous ancient artifacts, such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Egypt is widely regarded as an important political and cultural nation of the Middle East. Homosexuality is barely acknowledged by the country’s authorities. Homosexual acts are covered by general legislation governing public (Muslim & Christian) morality. In the 21st century, this legislation has been subject to stricter interpretation, and homosexual men live under continual threat of persecution and imprisonment.