Egypt Appeals Court Acquits in Gay Trial Associated Press To connect to the Kansas City Star website please click on kansascity.com CAIRO, Egypt - An appeals court grudgingly acquitted 11 men of debauchery for alleged homosexual activity, one of their lawyers said Sunday. As the three-member panel issued its ruling Saturday, Judge Mo'azer El-Marsafy condemned the men even while clearing them of criminal charges, said the lawyer, Helmi Al-Rawi. "We are so disgusted with you, we can't even look at you," the judge said. "What you did is a major sin, but unfortunately the case has procedural errors and the court had to acquit all of you." The 11 men were convicted in April and sentenced to up to three years in prison in one of several such cases that have drawn denunciations from international human rights groups. The main defendant was arrested in February after his telephone had been bugged for more than a month by officials acting on a tip. Egypt's criminal code makes no specific mention to homosexuality, but the country uses a wide range of laws covering obscenity, prostitution and debauchery to prosecute to homosexuals. Egyptian police monitor restaurants considered gay hangouts as well as Web sites catering to homosexuals. Latest news 22 May 2012: Cairo psychiatrist claims he can "cure" 70 to 75 per cent of gay teenagers.