Lebanese Activists Rally Against Forensic Rape

Protesting anal probes of prisoners

The movement for gay rights -- and, more broadly, against subjecting prisoners to officially sanctioned anal probes -- has arrived in Lebanon:

Dozens of people demonstrated outside the law courts in the Lebanese capital on Saturday to protest the use of anal "tests" on men suspected of homosexuality, which is a criminal offence in the Arab country.

The rally followed a July 28 police raid on a gay venue in a working class district of Beirut when 36 men were taken into custody and forced to undergo the examinations, reportedly to determine their sexual orientation….

Men and women - ranging from gay and lesbian young adults to a father and daughter - chanted in unison and held banners that read: "United to abolish the tests of shame."

Other homemade signs struck a more sarcastic tone: "Honorable minister, before you test my anus, at least take me out to dinner," read one.