March 2025
In This Newsletter:
1. Rabha, an intersex woman, harassed by Rapid Support Forces
2. Dr. Laila Al-Suwaif’s strike continues to release Alaa Abdel Fattah, and an urgent
briefing is requested in the Egyptian Parliament regarding Alaa Abdel Fattah and
pretrial detention
3. 209 forcibly disappeared Sudanese women face an unknown fate
4. In a statement by the Egyptian Catholic Church: While the Church affirms its respect
for all persons, it cannot accept those who practice homosexuality, have homosexual
tendencies or support the so-called homosexual culture, into the theological or
priestly school.
5. Army Commander Declares Khartoum Free from the Rapid Support Forces from Inside the Presidential Palace
6. Hate speech in sixth grade lessons7. Hate speech in sixth grade lessons
7. Content creator Zein El Zein was arrested in Dahab due to his non-stereotypical
appearance and subjected to anal examinations
Rabha, an intersex woman, harassed by Rapid Support Forces
Rabha, an intersex woman, was harassed and ridiculed by a group of Rapid Support soldiers while she was walking with a group of women. The soldiers mocked her appearance and voice, filmed the incident and posted the video on social media, where it went viral, exposing her to further bullying. People of sexual and gender diversity in Sudan face increasing violations during the war, often without receiving enough attention. People whose appearance does not conform to the stereotypical gender perceptions of the Janjaweed are at greater risk, including punitive torture. Rabha and many other people continue to suffer amid escalating violence and a lack of legal protection.
More details: https://bit.ly/3DXgdDl
Dr. Laila Al-Suwaif’s strike continues to release Alaa Abdel Fattah, and an urgent briefing is requested in the Egyptian Parliament regarding Alaa Abdel Fattah and pretrial detention
A petition signed by more than 127 academics around the world was launched to demand the release of Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and to quickly save the life of his mother, Dr. Laila Al-Suwaif, as Dr. Laila Al-Suwaif has announced a hunger strike since November 2024 to demand that the British government pressure the Egyptian government to release her son, the activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian with dual nationality, whose detention period has ended on the basis of a 5-year prison sentence on charges of spreading false news, but his detention continues despite the expiration of his term since September 2024, but the Egyptian authorities continue to detain him until now under the pretext that his period of pretrial detention is not counted within the period. His punishment is in violation of Egyptian law. Alaa Abdel Fattah spent more than 11 years in prison due to his political activity since the revolution of January 25, 2011. In 2015, he was sentenced to five years in prison for participating in a peaceful demonstration in front of the Shura Council in 2013. After the end of his sentence, he was subjected to strict police surveillance during which he spent 12 hours a day inside the police station. Just six months after being released on parole, he was rearrested in September 2019 while on probation. In December 2021, he was sentenced to an additional five years in prison on charges of “spreading false news.” In the same context, 500 Egyptian women sent a call to Sisi’s wife to “intervene to save the life of Dr. Laila Soueif.”
The text of the petition stated: “We, a group of Egyptian mothers, address you with a request and appeal to intercede to save the life of an Egyptian mother, Dr. Laila Soueif, who has been on a harsh hunger strike for more than 120 days, contenting herself with drinking water and warm drinks without sugar, in an attempt to release her son.” Sanaa Seif, Abdel Fattah's sister, published a picture of the medical report that she said was issued by St. Thomas Hospital in the British capital, London, regarding the deteriorating health condition of her mother, Laila Soueif. The report explained, "There is an immediate danger to life, including further deterioration or death. There is a great possibility of sudden death occurring if abstinence from food continues. The longer the period of abstinence from food, the greater the risk of death occurring during the return to nutrition once the strike is ended."
More details: https://bit.ly/4cpjE2j
https://bit.ly/42Kvj7B
209 forcibly disappeared Sudanese women face an unknown fate
The escalation of violations against women and girls in Sudan, as revealed in a report by “Sayha”, reflects seriously on people of sexual and gender diversity, who already face high levels of violence and discrimination. In areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, where forced disappearances, slavery, and sexual violence are widespread, individuals who do not conform to stereotypical gender norms become more vulnerable to being targeted because of their identities. They can face more severe torture, sexual exploitation, or even murder, especially in the absence of legal and societal protection. In addition, the fear of disappearance or attack drives many of them to live in complete isolation, which exacerbates their psychological and social suffering, and limits their ability to seek help or access humanitarian support.afford the services."
More details: https://bit.ly/42q1JUD
In a statement by the Egyptian Catholic Church: While the Church affirms its respect for all persons, it cannot accept those who practice homosexuality, have homosexual tendencies or support the so-called homosexual culture, into the theological or priestly school.
Against the background of issuing the guidance document regarding theological schools for the year 2025, the Egyptian Catholic Church issued a statement denying the possibility of ordaining homosexual clergy, as the statement stated, “While the Church affirms its respect for all persons, it cannot accept those who practice homosexuality, have homosexual tendencies or support the so-called homosexual culture, into the theological or priestly school.” This statement comes as a typical reaction from the Egyptian Catholic Church, which takes one of the most conservative and strict positions against sexual and gender diversity among all the Catholic churches in the world. The Egyptian Catholic Church has rejected statements by Pope Francis about the possibility of the Church blessing same-sex marriage, which was followed by a statement in which the Egyptian Catholic Church announced, “The Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt affirms its rejection of all confusion and ambiguity that would make the Church’s doctrine appear to accept or recognize same-sex marriage or every irregular relationship outside the framework of the sacrament of marriage.” It is also noted that both statements were unasked for, in the absence of demands for legislating same-sex marriage in Egypt, nor for the church to support the rights of LGBTQ+ communities to a dignified life and respect for private life. Egyptian churches and religious institutions such as Al-Azhar adhere to their strict positions on sexual and gender diversity, ignoring the violations that LGBTQ+ people are exposed to, including stigma, discrimination, violence and torture in detention sites, and violations of the sanctity of their private lives. These institutions even support medical practices that are not supported by research or sound results about gay conversion therapy, a practice that a number of specialized scientific studies have shown is extremely dangerous and may lead individuals to harm themselves.
More Details: https://bit.ly/4jeFNCA
Army Commander Declares Khartoum Free from the Rapid Support Forces from Inside the Presidential Palace
On March 26, 2025 The Sudanese army published a video on its official social media accounts, showing hundreds of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) soldiers crossing the Jebel Aulia Dam bridge on foot, along with several vehicles. The footage also revealed signs of fire damage on the western bank of the bridge. Other photos and videos documented the RSF’s retreat, leaving behind dozens of parked vehicles loaded with civilian belongings near the bridge.
On a day that marked a shift in the military balance of power, Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan wasted no time. His plane landed at Khartoum Airport for the first time since the outbreak of the war, and he quickly made his way to the presidential palace, where he declared the "liberation of Khartoum."
Amid these military developments, concerns have heightened for the most vulnerable groups, including the gender and sexual diversity community, who face an increased threat in the wake of escalating violence and instability. In conflict situations, these communities are often directly targeted, whether through crackdowns or the broader climate of violence that exacerbates discrimination against them. Many are forced into hiding or seek ways to escape in search of safety
More details: https://bit.ly/3YlLUNk
Hate speech in sixth grade lessons
The curriculum for the Arabic language subject for the sixth grade of primary school contains a lesson entitled (Story: The Rainbow). The lesson deals with a story about a child in the primary stage who goes to his father to ask him about advertisements appearing on his phone. According to the text of the book, “it includes scenes of marches in which men wear women’s clothing, and women wear men’s clothing.” The child asks his father about the meaning of this advertisement; The father answered him, “God created humans - like all other creatures - from a male and a female, none of which can replace the other, but corrupt calls have appeared since ancient times calling for the violation of the God’s nature, with which he created man, which is something that is not accepted by all heavenly laws, nor by sound morals.” The lesson continues as the child asks about the rainbow, and the father answers him that it is a natural phenomenon of 7 colors, but “those who go against common sense,” according to the lesson’s text, “make a similar flag of 6 colors,” in reference to the pride flag. This lesson in the sixth grade of primary school curriculum is taught to students aged between 11 and 12 years. It may open the door to violent bullying towards students who are not interested in sports or female students who aspire to occupy jobs that society has associated with men, such as engineering, for example. This may have serious effects on the psychological health of these students and may expose them to bullying and physical violence. It is worth noting that since the beginning of the 2024/2025 academic year, several incidents of bullying have been observed that include psychological and physical violence. In Egyptian schools in various governorates, according to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, in January 2025, an 11-year-old girl committed suicide in Alexandria on the grounds that she was being bullied at her school. This was preceded in December 2024 by the death of a 14-year-old first-year middle school student in Qalyubia Governorate while she was being subjected to bullying and physical violence from one of her colleagues, who pushed her forcefully, which led to her sustaining injuries that claimed her life. Bullying in Egyptian schools is not limited to students. In October 2024, a video clip went viral from one of the primary schools in Minya Governorate showing a teacher bullying students in his class because of their clothes and their accent. The same clip also showed him assaulting some students and bullying female students who asked to go to the bathroom, despite the authorities taking measures in all the aforementioned incidents, from opening investigations to dismissing teachers who are proven to be violent or to have bullied children. Although bullying is a criminal offense under Egyptian law, it is punishable by imprisonment for a period of no less than 6 months and a fine ranging between 10,000 and 30,000 pounds.
The penalty is increased to one year in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 pounds if the crime is committed by a person who has authority over the victim, and the penalty is doubled if the act is repeated. However, with such educational lessons and the absence of oversight in public and private schools, and with the weak training that educational staff receive to deal with bullying and dismantle the phenomenon in Egyptian schools, the danger and effects of bullying on children in schools by their colleagues and teachers are increasing. Studies also indicate that the stages of basic education in the primary and preparatory stages play a role in forming basic and fundamental ideas among children and adolescents, and with the consolidation of ideas that women have specific roles in society and that their attempt to occupy other roles is a violation of “God’s nature,” this makes educational institutions parties involved in restricting work spaces and empowering women at the social level for decades to come. It also establishes false ideas and inaccurate stereotypes about sexual and gender diversity in Egypt, which enhances the culture of Hate and violent crimes based on hatred towards people of sexual and gender diversity.
More Details: https://bit.ly/4cvAgFK
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Content creator Zein El Zein was arrested in Dahab due to his non-stereotypical appearance and subjected to anal examinations
On March 12, security forces in the city of Dahab in South Sinai arrested content creator Zein El-Zein, because of his atypical appearance at one of the city’s many checkpoints. The press described the incident as follows: “The checkpoint officer in the city of Dahab suspected a car in which the TikToker was traveling, as he was wearing full women’s clothing, makeup on his face, and women’s accessories, and was accompanied by 15 of his friends, other than a close friend of his, and they were returning after spending their vacation in Dahab.” This led to their arrest and referral to the investigation authorities in the city of Nuweiba. The investigation authorities decided to detain the TikToker and his close friend for 4 days during the investigation period, while releasing the rest of the group. According to local newspapers, the evidence that was preserved was described as follows: “An iPhone 16 Pro Max mobile phone in the company of the accused, and large sums of money. An examination of the phones revealed indecent films and pictures, in addition to the defendants’ clothing bag containing women's nightgowns, underwear, clothing, and cosmetics.” The prosecution renewed their detention for 15 days for the investigation period, and sent them “to the forensic medicine office in Suez for an examination.” It is the approved wording to direct defendants in cases related to the sexual and gender identity of individuals registered on identity papers as men to undergo anal examinations. It is worth noting that anal examinations are a torture practice, according to the United Nations, and it is a practice that the Egyptian authorities have always denied practicing, despite the continued sending of defendants in immorality cases to forensic medicine to undergo this practice.
More Details: https://bit.ly/3EcsALN