An Egyptian appeals court on Saturday
reduced sentences for eight men who appeared in a gay wedding video.
The men were sentenced to three years
in prison for “inciting debauchery.”
The appeals court upheld the
convictions but reduced their sentences to one year in prison, the AP
reported.
The court is expected to explain its
decision when a detailed verdict is announced in the coming days.
The video, released over the summer,
created controversy when it went viral on social media. In the clip,
two grooms and their wedding party celebrate the couple's nuptials
aboard a boat on the Nile. Dressed in dark suits, the grooms kiss
and hug after they exchange rings.
The prosecution described the video as
showing “a devilish shameless party” that “would anger God.”
The defendants were reportedly
subjected to medical tests, including rectal exams, to determine
whether they were “habitual homosexuals.”
While consensual gay sex is not illegal
in Egypt, authorities have used other laws to prosecute gay men.