Was Mona Iraqi's Coverage of Gay Police Raid Illegal?

When TV anchor Mona Iraqi began researching the subject of AIDS in Egypt, she stumbled upon a bathhouse that hosted gay orgies. Instead of believing in the philosophy 'to each their own,' she decided to alert the police and illegally accompanied them on the raid that lead to the arrest of 33 men. Proving that karma is as much a bitch as she is, Iraqi may also have to stand trial as the Egyptian AIDS Society announced plans to file a lawsuit against her.

The whole drama unfolded weeks ago on Iraqi’s TV show “Al-Mistakhabi” which aired the footage of Iraqi joining police on the recent raid of a public bath in downtown Cairo that apparently hosts all-day orgies. Originally the show approached the Egyptian AIDS Society to answer a few questions for the purpose of spreading awareness. “The channel where Iraqi works did contact us to take part in a special episode on the occasion of World AIDS Day,” the EAS tell Al Arabiya adding, “We agreed and the society’s director gave an interview answering several questions related to awareness.”

Not knowing what her true intentions were, the EAS were completely shocked when the episode aired using their interview for “unethical purposes that are totally against the society’s codes,” explains an EAS spokesperson. Immediately after airing the episode Iraqi was met with a variety of criticism from right groups calling her actions illegal. “Iraqi did not only file a report with the police, but also accompanied security forces in the raid and took pictures of naked men trying to hide their faces,” said the joint statement by various right groups in the MENA region.

The rights groups demand that Iraqi stand trial accusing her of violating ethical codes of journalism, specifically article 58 and 75 of the Criminal Procedure Law, which prohibit disclosure of police procedures by unauthorised individuals or institutions. The big fear from right groups is that Iraqi has totally stigmatised the subject of AIDS further, and that patients suffering from the illness will be too afraid to seek advice or even medically examined.

Sadly, the damage is done, and according to the Interior Ministry officials, the raid was legal. Iraqi denies all the allegations against her, saying that this situation is no different than her previous exposés.