Cameroon sentence: 4 months for lesbian activity
by Colin Stewart
Michel Togué (Photo courtesy of Council of Global Equality)
Two
imprisoned lesbians in Cameroon can look forward to release from the
prison cells, now that they have been convicted of violating the
country's anti-gay laws, attorney Michel Togué says.
A Yaoundé court sentenced them to four months in prison, fines of 100,000 CFA francs (US $211) each, and legal costs of 30,000 CFA francs (US $63).
Because
of the time they have already spent in prison, they will be released as
soon as they pay the fines and court costs, Togué said.
Cameroonian
law provides for prison sentences of up to five years for same-sex
sexual activity. It is supposed to apply only to cases of same-sex
intercourse -- "caught in the act" -- but the law is often interpreted
as justifying imprisonment for people who are merely suspected of being
homosexual.
Togué
is one of only three attorneys in Cameroon who accepts LGBT clients.
He works with the human rights and anti-AIDS organization Camfaids (the
Cameroonian Foundation for AIDS), which provides support for LGBT
defendants and prisoners.
Related articles
- Shocking-story of Cameroon police beating 2 women accused of same-sex relations (April 2014, O-blog-dee)
- 2 lesbians arrested in Cameroon (not 4) (March 2014, 76crimes.com)
- Cameroon: Two lesbians sentenced to nine months (June 2013, 76crimes.com)
- Cameroon: $325 frees 2 gay prisoners; more is needed (April 2014, 76crimes.com)
- For lover's sake, gay man spent years in Cameroon prison (April 2014, 76crimes.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment