Gulf States may use medical screening to 'detect' gays entering their countries

In Kuwait, one can serve up to 10 years for homosexual acts for those under 21 years of age.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON
burka 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
burka 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The conservative Gulf States are considering a plan to enforce a ban on homosexuals entering their countries by utilizing existing medical testing to try to detect gays, according to a report in Gulf News, based in Dubai.
Clinical screening of expatriates entering Gulf Cooperation Council countries exist but may be expanded to “detect” homosexuals, said a senior Kuwaiti official quoted by the news outlet.
According to a public health official, a committee will consider the proposal when it meets on November 11.
Homosexual acts are already outlawed in the GCC and Bahrain is worried about the growing number of gays entering the country. Lawmakers are pushing for strict enforcement of the law and tougher laws to allow deportations, according to the report.
In Kuwait, one can serve up to 10 years for homosexual acts for those under 21 years of age.
In 2011, Bahrain arrested 127 people for holding a party, which supposedly had gay men from various Gulf States.