Manuel Guerrero Aviña Shares More Details Of His Six-Month Nightmare
In a follow-up to our previous story, Manuel Guerrero Aviña, the British-Mexican man who was arrested and detained in Qatar for six months, has shared further details about his terrifying experience in an exclusive interview with BBC News.
Aviña, who believes he was targeted due to his sexuality, once again urges the LGBTQIA+ community to be cautious when visiting the country, emphasising that “what happened to me could happen to anyone.”
The former British Airways employee, now 45, found himself in a living nightmare after using the gay dating app Grindr to arrange a meeting with a man who turned out to be an undercover police officer.
Despite human rights organisations condemning his detention and labelling his trial “grossly unfair,” Qatari authorities continue to insist that Aviña’s arrest was drug-related.
“I was terrified so many times,” Aviña admitted, recounting his 44 days in a Qatari prison and subsequent detention. “I thought I might never leave, that I might get lost in the system. I was really scared and never thought I’d return home safely.”
Aviña Maintains His Innocence, Believes Sexuality Was the Reason for His Arrest
Aviña has consistently denied the drug charges, claiming that police officers planted illegal substances in his flat. He remains adamant that his sexual orientation was the actual reason behind his arrest.
“The entire interrogation focused on my sexual partners, my sexual orientation, whether I’ve been having sex, and who I have had sex with,” Aviña disclosed. “If it was just a drugs case, they would have been asking me about drugs.”
Seven Years of Discreet Living in Qatar
Before his arrest, Aviña had spent seven years living in Qatar without any run-ins with the police. He believed that adhering to an unwritten rule of keeping his private life behind closed doors would ensure his safety.
“I thought I was being compliant by being discreet in public and following the rules, while just trying to live a little bit of my life behind doors,” he explained. “I thought it was fine as long as it wasn’t in public.”
But on that fateful February day, police officers handcuffed him, searched his flat, and arrested him, shattering his world.
As Aviña rebuilds his life and cherishes time with loved ones, his story remains a powerful reminder of the dangers faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in countries where their rights are not protected.
