The Egyptian authorities have arrested seven men accused of appearing a video of what appears to be a gay wedding.

The video, which was widely shared on social media, appears to show the country’s first gay marriage as two men exchange rings surrounded by friends while on a cruise on the Nile, reports Aljazeera.

The seven men, who were arrested on Saturday in Egypt, can be remanded for up to four days under a charge of incitement to debauchery and publishing indecent images.

Prosecutors have ordered “medical tests”- a standard, invasive practice denounced by human rights groups – to be conducted on the seven men in an attempt to identify their sexual orientation, reports BBC News.

It is unclear whether the men at the centre of the purported wedding ceremony were among the seven men arrested.

The public prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the party took place in April but the footage went viral last month, causing the police to take action to identify the men.

Though homosexuality is not explicitly criminalised by Egyptian law those who stand accused can be punished under several different ‘morality’ statutes.

In 2001, Egyptian police drew widespread criticism from human rights groups and Western governments after it raided a floating disco (main picture) called the Queen Boat, arresting and trying 52 men in the case.