Manuel Guerrero Aviña, 44, a former manager of British Airways, has been detained in the nation since February. According to equality ratings site Equaldex, homosexuality is prohibited in Qatar and there is no protection against LGBTQ+ prejudice in the country.
According to Aviña’s relatives, as part of a “honeytrap operation,” Qatari police invited him to a meeting with other LGBTQ+ individuals in Doha using “a false Grindr profile.”
Aviña denied all charges
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After setting up a meeting with a man via the gay dating app, Aviña was arrested by plain-clothed security officials. He was accused of drug possession as well as other offenses connected to drugs, all of which he refuted.
A judge sentenced someone to six months with a six-month suspension on Tuesday, June 4.
Later, the Mexican government said that if Aviña agreed to pay a fine of 10,000 Qatari Riyals (£2,150) and be deported from the nation, he would not have to serve time in prison. Even if he were to accept the verdict, prosecutors would have up to 30 days to file an appeal against the punishment, according to the BBC, so he cannot depart right away.
“I am deeply disappointed with yesterday’s unfair verdict, issued in spite of the violations of due process during the detention and trial, which included torture and mistreatment to pressure me into revealing the names of gay partners,” Aviña wrote in a statement that was posted on an Instagram page that supported him.
‘Inhumane living conditions’
Aviña went on to claim he had been forced to use his fingerprint to sign several documents in Arabic without a translator.
He said he was denied a lawyer and translator during the preliminary hearing and was kept in “inhumane living conditions for 44 days”.
“The Qatari authorities have found me guilty because I am gay, and this is a violation of my human rights,” he continued.
“Although I’m relieved to be able to leave the country, I continue oppose the unfair trial I was given and the abuse and torture I received while being held in pretrial custody.
“I implore the governments of the UK and Mexico to bring up the unfair trial and the due process violations with the relevant authorities in Qatar.”
