Gay Man Entrapped In Qatar By Morality Police Sentenced And Fined
Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a 44-year-old former British Airways manager, has been given a suspended prison sentence, fined, and ordered to be deported from Qatar after allegedly being detained in a Grindr sting operation, according to Pink News.
“I am deeply disappointed with yesterday’s unfair verdict”
Aviña, a former British Airways manager, has been held in Qatar since February. His family claims Qatari police used a fake Grindr profile to lure him to a meeting with other gay people in Doha. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and the nation offers no protection from LGBTQIA+ discrimination.
Pink News reports that Aviña was arrested by plain-clothed security officers after arranging to meet a man through the gay dating app. He was charged with possession of drugs and other drug-related offences, which he denied.
On Tuesday, June 4, a judge handed down a six-month suspended sentence. The Mexican government said Aviña would not have to serve time if he agreed to pay a fine of 10,000 Qatari Riyals (£2,150) and was deported. However, prosecutors have up to 30 days to appeal the sentence, meaning he can’t leave immediately, even if he accepts the verdict.
“The Qatari authorities have convicted me because I am gay”
In a statement on Instagram, Aviña expressed his disappointment with the unfair verdict, issued despite violations of due process during his detention and trial, which included torture and mistreatment to pressure him into revealing the names of gay partners.
Aviña claims he was forced to use his fingerprint to sign several documents in Arabic without a translator. He was denied a lawyer and translator during the preliminary hearing and kept in inhumane living conditions for 44 days.
“I urge the UK and Mexican governments to raise concerns with the relevant Qatari authorities about the unfair trial and the violations of due process,” Aviña said.
