Four men have been jailed for hosting gay sex parties as part of a brutal crackdown on homosexuality in Egypt. The men were stood accused of hosting so-called "deviant parties" and cross-dressing in womens clothes. Three were sentenced to eight years and a fourth to three years behind bars on trumped up debuachery charges.

The news comes after it emerged that three men arrested for so-called indecent acts (dressing in womens' clothing) last month at a party in Nasr City, are still being detained in secret. Sources close to the men who were arrested for dancing while wearing female clothing at a nightclub in the busy resort. He said: "The men have completely disappeared. Even their families do not know where they are. They are really scared."

Meanwhile, it has also believed that an internationally recognised central Cairo hotel chain has recently adopted a hardline on suspected homosexual visitors. One visitor told Cairo Scene: "The hotel used to be a hotspot for gay dating but recently their policy has changed. There have been police raids on a number of rooms where Egyptian gay couples are sharing. It isn't clear how the authorities are finding out but many suspect the hotel staff are tipping them off."

The alarming news marks the latest in a long line of cruel state sanctioned attacks against the gay community sparking fears that the government may be planning a further crackdown on freedom of sexuality. A source added: "It is a very difficult time to be gay in Egypt right now. People are terrified, it is crazy."