Two transgender Cameroonians were on Tuesday sentenced to five years in prison in Cameroon, where gay sex is illegal, for “attempting homosexuality”, their lawyer told AFP.
Loïc Djeukam, well-known on social media under the pseudonym Shakiro, and Roland Mouthe alias Patricia, were jailed in February.
They were found guilty of “attempting homosexuality, outraging public decency and possessing faulty national IDs”, lawyer Richard Tamfu told AFP, adding that he would appeal.
They were also fined 200,000 CFA francs (300 euro, $365) and order to pay court costs of over 30 euros — a large sum in this country — “and risk additional jail time if they fail to pay,” he said.
“It’s a hammer blow. It’s the maximum term outlined in law,” said Alice Nkom, the head of the Association for the Defence of Rights of Homosexuals.
“The message is clear: homosexuals don’t have a place in Cameroon.”
Homosexuality is illegal in Cameroon, with prison terms ranging from six months to five years and fines of up to 200,000 CFA francs.
Human Rights Watch in April deplored the discrimination suffered by gay people in Cameroon, including even torture.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
Leave a Reply