Lynch Mob Kills Gay Couple for Having Sex
Anti-LGBTQ attacks continue to ramp up in Cameroon, with a mob killing a gay couple and police raiding an AIDS advocacy group's headquarters.
A lynch mob in Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé set upon a gay couple for having sex inside a car that was visible to the public and killed the two men.
On September 22, shortly before nightfall, two men, each about 40, went to have a drink at a local snack bar in Yaoundé’s Ekounou neighborhood. They retired to a car belonging to one of them that was parked near the road and began engaging in sex.
Initially, passersby believed that the two men were discussing a matter in private. But soon witnesses saw the vehicle shaking, prompting them to come closer to get a better look at what was occurring inside the car.
A mob soon surrounded the car, pulled out the two men, and threatened to kill them. The crowd became so rowdy and violent that police were forced to intervene. They temporarily detained the two men before releasing them.
While it is not confirmed, the human rights website Erasing 76 Crimes speculated that the men may have paid police a bribe, which is one way that people can avoid facing charges.
Although Cameroon’s first Penal Code, enacted in 1965, did not criminalize homosexuality, the law was amended in 1972, imposing a five-year sentence, plus fines, for anyone found guilty of engaging in same-sex relations.
After the pair were released, the two men were spotted by members of the mob near the snack bar once again. The crowd attacked the men, stripped off their clothing, and beat them to death.
The deadly attacks were captured on video, with LGBTQ advocates confirming their validity.
While LGBTQ people condemned the mob’s aggression, one person also urged other LGBTQ people to be more circumspect about their sexual behavior and avoid attracting attention to themselves.
“We must be responsible and have decent behavior within society,” the man, Roger H., told Erasing 76 Crimes. “However, this should not lead to assassinations.”
A 2022 report from the global rights organization Human Rights Watch detailed the failure of security forces to sufficiently protect LGBTQ people from attacks by vigilantes, with an uptick in violence directed against members of the community, as well as police raids against gathering spaces for LGBTQ people.
In another recent incident, on September 30, police in Douala, Cameroon, arrested 13 people during a raid on the offices of Alternatives-Cameroon, an AIDS prevention and LGBTQ advocacy organization.
Those arrested included five staff members, three members of the public who were visiting the group’s drop-in center, and five employees of a non-governmental organization that works with Alternatives-Cameroon.
The defendants’ lawyer told Erasing 76 Crimes that police claimed the raid was targeting alleged human trafficking, the “clandestine practice of medicine,” and alleged same-sex relations occurring at the center.
The people present at the center were questioned about their presence at the drop-in center, and their role with Alternatives-Cameroon, as well as the organization’s purpose. Police also searched the defendants’ bags and offices, and subsequently questioned individuals about condoms, toilet oil, and documents that were found in their possession.
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