Egyptian TV Host Faces Year in Jail for Interviewing Gay Man on Air

Mohamed al-Gheiti, an Egyptian TV personality, has been jailed for a year after interviewing a gay man on his show, reports SBS News.

The charge is somewhat ironic, as Mohamed al-Gheiti is anti-gay himself.

The gay man had his face blurred throughout the interview and was asked questions about his life as a sex worker and his relationship with another man.

While Egypt doesn’t explicitly outlaw homosexuality, the“appearance of homosexuals or promotion of their slogan” is banned.

The Supreme Council for Media Regulation suspended the TV station for two weeks after the interview aired, and now Mohamed al-Gheiti must pay 3,000 Egyptian pounds (£130) and serve a year in prison, followed by a year-long surveillance.

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