Lifestyle: US condemns arrest of 24 gay men in UAE

The U.S. State Department, that spends most of its time speaking out against human rights abuses in every country except its own, has condemned the arrest of about two dozen gay men in the United Arab Emirates.

The 24 gay Arab men may face forced hormone treatments, lashings and five years in jail, according to Associated Press. However, an Interior Ministry official said the hormone treatments would be optional and that the courts would decide punishment.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying, "The United States condemns the arrest of a dozen same-sex couples in the United Arab Emirates".