Breaking: Court Acquits 26 in Gay Bathhouse Case

Dealing a blow to Mona Iraqi and the police raid she lead that resulted in the arrest of 26 Egyptian accused of 'debauchery' in a bathhouse, an Egyptian court has found all the accused innocent on all charges.

Many were outraged when Mona Iraqi lead police to what she suspected was a “gay bath house orgy,” while filming an episode of her show covering the subject of the spread of HIV.

Her coverage resulted in a massive backlash as many Human Right Groups were outraged by her reckless coverage, calling for their release and even going so far as questioning the legality of her coverage and suggesting that she faces charges in court. There is still no word if that will happen. “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.

Good news for #Egypt to hear 26 men, arrested from a bathhouse for allegedly being gay & charged with "debauchery", have been acquitted

— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) January 12, 2015

Calls for sending @MonaIraqiTv and police officer to trial after wrongfully testifying in the gay bathhouse case for slander #Egypt

— Mai Shams El-Din (@maishams) January 12, 2015

Great News! BREAKING: Court acquits 26 men in 'gay bathhouse' case http://t.co/zvUflhgF41 via @ahramonline #egypt

— Nagla Rizk (@naglarzk) January 12, 2015

#Egypt court acquits 26 men arrested over "gay house orgy" http://t.co/BR9FVrxByT #LGBTQ

— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 12, 2015

very good news from #egypt if somewhat surprising that 26 men accused of debauchery ( as in being gay!) have been acquitted

— sebastian usher (@sebusher) January 12, 2015

With a Cairo misdemeanour court acquitting the 26 defendants on Monday, the question becomes whether or not they have a case for the slanderous campaign that almost stripped them of their dignity and freedom. 

Photo courtesy of AP.