The government of Egypt has told UN member states that it cannot protect LGBT people’s rights because it does not recognise that they exist. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that Egypt made the starling statement on March 12 during the country’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Egypt rejected recommendations by several countries to end arrests and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It further asserted that it “does not recognise the terms mentioned in this recommendation.” “This outrageous statement from Egyptian officials comes at a time when the COVID-19 health crisis is threatening already vulnerable groups, including LGBT people detained in Egypt’s prisons on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity,” wrote Rasha Younes, Researcher at the HRW LGBT Rights Program.