Egyptian TV host Hala Samir said on June 16 in a monologue on her show on Watan TV (Turkey-based Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood) that "Ibn Abbas quoted the Prophet Muhammad as saying: 'If you find men engaged in a homosexual act – kill the active one as well as the passive one.' Don't start asking: 'Are you active or passive?' Just kill both.”The NGO Middle East Media Research Institute first reported Samir’s anti-gay comments and translated her remarks into English.According to MEMRI, “She explained that Muhammad's companions had disagreed only with regard to the method of killing the homosexuals and she elaborated that some of these methods include burning them alive, throwing them off a high place and stoning them. In addition, Samir said that lesbianism is also prohibited by Islamic law.”Samir said that "some of them say: 'I am not homosexual, I'm gay' [because] they want it to sound nice. No! You are a homosexual, a sodomite, and a lesbian."Grenell was the first openly gay member of a presidential cabinet when he served as acting director of national intelligence. After he posted his tweet, he wrote that “Twitter launched an investigation of me for this tweet calling it unacceptable to kill gay people. But they allow the Muslim Brotherhood's video calling for the death of gay people to continue. @jack.”Every US government agency and official must speak clearly that this is unacceptable. https://t.co/kzkhLJ5qfM
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) June 26, 2020
The Twitter account @jack is for Jack Patrick Dorsey, the platform's CEO and co-founder.Grenell launched a global campaign as ambassador to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide.The Jerusalem Post asked on Twitter if German Social Democratic State Minister Michael Roth plans to condemn the Muslim Brotherhood’s lethal homophobia.Roth tweeted on Saturday: ”On 1 July, Flag of Germany will assume the EU-Presidency for 6 months. We thus bear a special responsibility for our Flag of European Union. There is no place here for homophobia, racism, antisemitism or antiziganism [discrimination against Romani people]. We will actively support equal opportunities and equality for LGBTI people. Globalpride.”He added that “Let’s stand shoulder to shoulder with human rights activists. Let's show our support in particular where LGBTI people are under pressure, marginalised, discriminated+persecuted. Thanks to all those who work for a world where we can celebrate our differences without fear. #pride.”Roth’s Social Democratic colleague at the Foreign Ministry, Niels Annen, has previously celebrated Iran’s regime which, according to a 2008 British WikiLeaks dispatch, executed between 4,000-6,000 gays and lesbians.Last year, Iran’s regime publicly hanged a man based on anti-gay charge.Roth has previously not responded to Post queries about the accusation that he suppresses free speech on Twitter. The German journalist Tobias Huch is pursuing claims against Roth for blocking him on Twitter.Huch wrote on Twitter on Saturday: “He (Staatsminister [State Minister] Michael Roth, #SPD) blocked me on Twitter, because I wrote an article about the@AuswaertigesAmt [Foreign Ministry]. He hates the freedom of press.”Roth refused to answer Post queries about blocking Huch.After Huch criticized the German foreign ministry for failing to help German citizens in Kurdistan during the coronavirus crisis, Roth blocked him.In 2019 Annen blocked this Post reporter in connection with critical reports about his allegedly pro-Iran policy. A legal claim filed by the German lawyer Joachim Nikolaus Steinhöfel resulted in Annen lifting the block in 2019.Annen’s Twitter account identifies him as an employee of the Foreign Ministry. Roth’s account says “Since 2013 State Minister for Europe.”The right to view Twitter accounts of German government officials, politicians and diplomats is considered by advocates of German media freedom to be protected as part of basic freedom of the press in Germany.. @Twitter launched an investigation of me for this tweet calling it unacceptable to kill gay people. But they allow the Muslim Brotherhood’s video calling for the death of gay people to continue. @jack https://t.co/ro8nHrz8QK
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) June 27, 2020