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May 4, 2013
Minister of Interior declares: ‘Lebanon is against sodomy’

Marwan Charbel, Lebanon’s Minister of Interior declared that being gay is illegal and ‘wondered’ if married French gays should be allowed to enter the country

Lebanese Minister of Interior, Marwan Charbel, declared publicly on TV that Lebanon is against ‘sodomy' and rhetorically wondered if married gay French couples should be allowed to enter Lebanon.

During an interview with Al Jadeed TV, Charbel referred to gays in an extremely derogatory religious term, ‘liwat’, referring to the cursed people of Lot, roughly translated as 'sodomy' and sometimes used to denote the meaning of ‘fags’.

May 1, 2013
Lebanon: activists protest against arrest and abuse of gays

Lebanese human rights advocates protest demanding Dekwaneh’s mayor be brought to justice for illegal arrest of gay club goers who were stripped naked and photographed, physically and verbally abused

LGBT rights advocates protested in front of the Lebanese Ministry of Justice in Beirut, after gay club goers were victims of abuse and illegal detention.

The rally shows growing confidence and anger in the country’s LGBT population. It is the first time people have come out in such a high-profile way specifically to fight for gay rights and have been prepared to challenge a government department and criticize the use of religion to justify homophobic oppression.

January 8, 2013
Islamist paper claims: Gay and left-wingers conspire against Egyptian society

A pro Islamist paper in Egypt claims a 'surprise' conspiracy between left wing revolutionaries and gays to impose LGBT rights on the country

Al-Maseryoon daily claimed that left-wing activists have joined forces with gays in an anti-religious 'conspiracy' to impose LGBT rights on Egyptian society.

The paper stated late last week that ‘forces of modernists and youths affiliated with the revolution’ are attempting to break Egyptian society’s taboo on homosexuality.

It named famous activists who were instrumental in the Egyptian revolution as ‘promoting’ a ‘homosexual agenda’ ‘under a revolutionary contrived mask’.

October 17, 2012
Lebanon police question suspects of TV celebrity 'gay slander'

Three people were questioned for nearly a day over allegedly spreading rumors that a famous Lebanese TV personality is gay

Lebanese police in Beirut questioned three people yesterday (16 October) for allegedly spreading rumors that TV presenter Joe Maalouf is gay.

In July, Murr TV’s (MTV) celebrity Joe Maalouf’s made allegations on his program Enta Horr that authorities are protecting ‘faggots’ and ‘perverts in cinemas’ which he described as ‘safe havens’ of ‘debauchery’, demanding swift action by the authorities against them.

September 3, 2012
Canada denies entry visa to anti-gay Lebanese pop star

Following a campaign by Lebanese Canadian LGBT activists Canada denied entry visa to a homophobic pop star from Lebanon

Lebanese Canadian LGBT activists ran a successful campaign that led Canada to deny entry to a homophobic pop star from Lebanon.   All his scheduled concerts in the country have now been cancelled.

Unconfrimed reports, however, still suggest the pop star may attempt to reschedule some of the shows and apply again for a visa with the Canadian authorities.

Earlier this year, Mohamad Eskandar released a song called Ded El Enf, mocking the Lebanese LGBT community’s attempts to find acceptance in the country.

September 1, 2012
Lebanon justice minister says anal probe exams must end

The Lebanese minister of justice has publicly demanded an end to the use of discredited anal probe exams to 'test' if men are gay

Lebanon’s justice minister, Shakib Qortbawi, demanded earlier this morning (1 September) an end to the use of anal probe exams used find out if men are gay.

During an interview with the Lebanese paper Assafir, the minister said the anal probe exams must stop, whilst acknowledging that the judiciary is totally independent but requested they should listen to his and the Lebanese Medical Association’s opinion.

‘In Lebanon there will be no more anal tests.

‘The judiciary is independent but they should listen to us,’ he said.

August 30, 2012
Canadians stop Lebanese pop star from singing anti-gay song

The Lebanese Canadian LGBT community have been assured that a visiting homophobic pop star will not perform a song which mocks LGBT Lebanese people’s struggle for acceptance

A group of Lebanese Canadian LGBT activists have successfully campaigned to stop a visiting Lebanese pop star from singing his homophobic hit song during performances in Montreal.

Mohamad Eskandar released the song Ded El Enf, mocking the Lebanese LGBT community’s attempts to find acceptance in the country, earlier this year.

August 17, 2012
Lebanon TV channel outs men arrested for public gay sex

Two men who were caught yesterday having sex in car in Beirut were arrested and publicly outed

Two Lebanese men were detained last night (16 August) on suspicion of’ indecent acts’ in the Ashrafieh neighbourhood, Beirut.

The men, aged 42 and 22, were reported to having been caught having gay sex in a car.

Lebanese Murr TV (MTV) has publicly outed them, publishing their full names and ages.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Information the two men were handed over to the vice squad upon request from the judicial authorities.

August 11, 2012
Lebanon: historic demonstration against gay anal probe tests

Lebanese LGBT advocacy organization Helem held a protested demanding immediate halt to the use of the anal probe and virginal exams

Lebanese LGBT advocacy organization Helem held a protest this morning (11 August) in front of the Lebanese ministry of justice in Beirut, demanding immediate halt to the use of the anal probe and vaginal exams (used to test for virginity).

This historic protest was the biggest ever public demonstration of LGBT advocates and their supporter in the Arab world, and a very rare occasion. The only other protest happened in 2008, also in Beirut.

August 8, 2012
Lebanon medical chiefs ban gay anal probe tests

The Lebanese Medical Association act after 36 men get anal probes and ban discredited 'torture' tests but public prosectuor wants to keep them

Lebanese medical chiefs have ordered doctors to stop carrying out 'anal probe' tests to find out if men are gay but the country's public prosecutor has said the tests should continue.

August 2, 2012
Lebanon police force gay porn cinema men to pay for anal probe exams

Three men remain in custody after 'testing positive' for gay sex using discredited anal probe exams. The incident has sparked a public debate in Lebanon about legalizing gay sex

The 36 men arrested at a gay porn cinema in Beirut have had to pay for an anal probe exam to be conducted on them, despite it being a form of torture.

According to Helem, the LGBT advocacy charity in Lebanon, 33 of the 36 men arrested on Saturday have now been released on bail but may still be charged and face a court case.

July 31, 2012
Lebanon police conduct anal probes on 36 men from gay porn cinema

Doctors called in to conduct anal exams on men arrested in police raid. TV presenter Joe Maalouf who sparked police action threatens law suit over claims he is gay

Vice police in Lebanon have conducted anal exams on the 36 men who were arrested in a sting operation on a gay porn cinema.

The men were arrested in a police raid on the gay porn cinema in Beirut on Saturday (28 July). The cinema is famous for being a place where men meet to have sex with other men.

Of the 36 arrested, an unknown number have now been released after having an anal probe exam by an unnamed doctor.

July 31, 2012
Lebanon police conduct anal probes on 36 men from gay porn cinema

Doctors called in to conduct anal exams on men arrested in police raid. TV presenter Joe Maalouf who sparked police action threatens law suit over claims he is gay

Vice police in Lebanon have conducted anal exams on the 36 men who were arrested in a sting operation on a gay porn cinema.

The men were arrested in a police raid on the gay porn cinema in Beirut on Saturday (28 July). The cinema is famous for being a place where men meet to have sex with other men.

Of the 36 arrested, an unknown number have now been released after having an anal probe exam by an unnamed doctor.

July 29, 2012
Lebanon arrests 36 men in gay porn cinema

36 men arrested in Beirut, Lebanon for alleged gay debauchery after TV show unveiled activity in porn cinemas

Thirty six men were arrested yesterday (28 July) in a porn cinema in Beirut, Lebanon, Gay Star News can reveal.

Police raided Plaza Cinema, Beirut, which screens porn films and is famous for being a cruising spot, arresting 36 people including the owner, reported the Lebanese Murr TV (MTV) channel.

MTV’s report was written in a highly inflammatory language designed to stir up anti-gay feelings.

July 29, 2012
Lebanon arrests 36 men in gay porn cinema

36 men arrested in Beirut, Lebanon for alleged gay debauchery after TV show unveiled activity in porn cinemas

Thirty six men were arrested yesterday (28 July) in a porn cinema in Beirut, Lebanon, Gay Star News can reveal.

Police raided Plaza Cinema, Beirut, which screens porn films and is famous for being a cruising spot, arresting 36 people including the owner, reported the Lebanese Murr TV (MTV) channel.

MTV’s report was written in a highly inflammatory language designed to stir up anti-gay feelings.

July 9, 2012
Lao and proud: LGBT rights in Laos

Gay Star News talks to a prominent LGBT rights activist Anan Bouapha in the sleepy South-East Asian nation of Laos

At the end of last month Laos celebrated its first gay pride with an event at the US consulate.

Lao LGBT rights activist Anan Bouapha was one of the organizers. He talks to Gay Star News about the effect of the event and the situation for gay rights in Laos.

What’s been the effect of the LGBT Pride event at the US consulate?

July 4, 2012
How gay group United and Strong is changing the island of Saint Lucia

The traditional, religious society of Saint Lucia is gradually starting to listen to United and Strong which promises to make life better for all; LGBT and straight

With 90% of its population religious, and a strong loyalty to British laws that have helped shape its democracy, Saint Lucia is not always kind to the LGBT community. This small island’s profile is slowly changing, however, and part of that gradual shift, is the work done by United and Strong.

St Lucia’s first and only LGBT organisation, United and Strong Inc (U&S) formed in 2001 and was registered in November of 2005 in collaboration with the Caribbean AIDS Alliance in response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.