(Photo by STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

An Egyptian court has ruled that gay foreigners can be deported from the country or banned from entry.

The case, brought before an Egyptian administrative court on Tuesday (14 April), involved an allegedly gay Libyan man who had previously been barred from returning to the country by the interior ministry in 2008.

Hoping to return to Egypt in order to continue his studies at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime, the unnamed graduate appealed the decision, but the court ultimately ruled in favour on the ministry, in a bid to ‘protect public interest and religious and social values’.

A complaint made to the court had described the man as gay, however it is unclear what charges were originally brought against him or if a conviction was made.

A judicial source, who requested to remain anonymous, told reporters that the ministry has the right to ban LGBT people to protect public interest and religious and social values.

Men accused of homosexuality are often accused by Egyptian authorities of “debauchery”, because the country does not have a specific anti-gay law.

Arrests of gay men have increased dramatically in recent months, according to LGBT activists.

Reports have been made that Egyptian media had been told to increase anti-gay coverage, in order to distract from political stories.

In March, seven trans people were reportedly arrested after being accused of debauchery, after police used fake dating profiles to lure them to a nightclub.