State Department
criticizes Arab allies for treatment of gays

The State Department has issued a report criticizing the treatment of gays and lesbians by nations considered "key Arab allies." Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice issued the State Department's "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" on Wednesday, citing numerous human rights violations in Egypt, Saudia Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The State Department harshly criticized the UAE for its treatment of more than two dozen gay men who were arrested in November and were reportedly going to be given what a UAE official called the "necessary treatment, from male hormone injections to psychological therapies." The report also points to violations against gays and lesbians in several other countries, including Iran, Jamaica, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and Poland. But the Human Rights Campaign says the report won't matter unless the United States puts action behind the words. HRC president Joe Solmonese said in a statement, "Countries like the UAE are abusing men and women, and the best the U.S. government can do is give them a multimillion-dollar contract to manage our ports." In January, Iran and Zimbabwe were among the countries that voted to reject the applications of two gay rights groups as consultants to the U.N. Economic and Social Council. The United States also voted against the groups. (Sirius OutQ News)