Man facing deportation to Egypt fears he’ll be killed ‘because he is gay’
A man has said he fears he’ll be killed if deported to Egypt (Stock image via Getty Images)
A man facing deportation has told a court he fears he will be killed if returned to Egypt “because I am gay.”
Ahmed Ibrahim, 34, appeared before Cork District Court where he was remanded in custody until April 15 on charges including assaulting a garda (Irish police officer), escaping from custody and obstruction.
As reported by the Irish Examiner, the court heard the alleged offences relate to an incident in January at Cork Prison, where Ibrahim is accused of escaping custody and assault causing harm to a member of An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s national police force.
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During proceedings, Detective Sergeant Ernie Henderson told the court that when charged, Ibrahim said: “I will be killed if I return to Egypt because I am gay.”
The case has been adjourned for a fortnight, with Ibrahim remaining in custody.
LGBTQ+ rights in Egypt
While there is no explicit death penalty for homosexuality in Egypt, LGBTQ+ people can be prosecuted under broad ‘morality’ laws and face arrest, detention and abuse, with human rights groups warning the country remains a high-risk environment.
According to the Human Dignity Trust, same-sex activity, usually only between men, is criminalised under acts of “indecency”, “scandalous acts” and “debauchery”.
If convicted, there is a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine. However local advocacy group Bedayaa has reported that some are handed up to six years in prison.
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