Gay rights in Cameroon
Encyclopedia
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Cameroon face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT
residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Cameroon
.
. More severe sentencing is likely when one of the offenders is under 21 years of age.
In May 2005, 11 men were arrested at a nightclub on suspicion of sodomy, and the government threatened to conduct medical examinations to "prove" their homosexual activity. As of February 2006, nearly all were still being detained, with trials scheduled in March 2006.
A gay Cameroonian man was granted asylum in the United Kingdom due to his sexuality in early July 2010. Cameroon's Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma
, responded to the court's action by acknowledging that homosexuality was definitely illegal in Cameroon, but also arguing that homosexuals were not prosecuted for their private activities. He dismissed the asylum-seeker's claims, saying that the man had nothing to fear from the law: "Do you think he is the only gay person in Cameroon?"
In August 2011, a gay Cameroonian man was granted temporary immigration
bail from the UK Border Agency
after Air France
refused to carry him to Yaoundé
.
A Cameroon court jailed Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga
for four months for defaming Gregoire Owona
, a government minister named in the list of 50 presumed homosexuals in Cameroon.
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "homosexual persons generally kept a low profile because of the pervasive societal stigma, discrimination, and harassment as well as the possibility of imprisonment. Gays and lesbians suffered from harassment and extortion by law enforcement officials. False allegations of homosexuality were used to harass enemies or to extort money."
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
.
Law regarding same-sex sexual activity
Same-sex sexual acts are banned by section 347 of the penal code with a penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 francsCentral African CFA franc
The Central African CFA franc is the currency of six independent states in central Africa, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. CFA stands for Coopération financière en Afrique centrale...
. More severe sentencing is likely when one of the offenders is under 21 years of age.
In May 2005, 11 men were arrested at a nightclub on suspicion of sodomy, and the government threatened to conduct medical examinations to "prove" their homosexual activity. As of February 2006, nearly all were still being detained, with trials scheduled in March 2006.
A gay Cameroonian man was granted asylum in the United Kingdom due to his sexuality in early July 2010. Cameroon's Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma
Issa Tchiroma
Issa Tchiroma Bakary is a Cameroonian politician who served in the government of Cameroon as Minister of Transport from 1992 to 1996 and has been Minister of Communication since 2009...
, responded to the court's action by acknowledging that homosexuality was definitely illegal in Cameroon, but also arguing that homosexuals were not prosecuted for their private activities. He dismissed the asylum-seeker's claims, saying that the man had nothing to fear from the law: "Do you think he is the only gay person in Cameroon?"
In August 2011, a gay Cameroonian man was granted temporary immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
bail from the UK Border Agency
UK Border Agency
The UK Border Agency is the border control body of the United Kingdom government and part of the Home Office. It was formed on 1 April 2008 by a merger of the Border and Immigration Agency , UKvisas and the Detection functions of HM Revenue and Customs...
after Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
refused to carry him to Yaoundé
Yaoundé
-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
.
Living conditions
Cameroon is a conservative society in which homosexuality is frowned upon. In 2006, a number of tabloids published the names of at least 50 very prominent people they claimed were homosexual. They condemned them for deviant behaviour. The stories boosted newspaper circulation, but were criticized by the state communication council for invading people's privacy. The campaign provoked a national debate about gay rights and privacy.A Cameroon court jailed Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga
Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga
Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga is a Cameroonian publisher of the newspaper L'Anecdote. Belinga gained notoriety in March 2006 when a Cameroon court jailed him for four months for defaming Gregoire Owona, a government minister named in a list of 50 presumed homosexuals in Cameroon.-Arrest and...
for four months for defaming Gregoire Owona
Grégoire Owona
Grégoire Owona is a Cameroonian politician. He has served in the government of Cameroon as Minister-Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies since 1997, and he has also been Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement ...
, a government minister named in the list of 50 presumed homosexuals in Cameroon.
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "homosexual persons generally kept a low profile because of the pervasive societal stigma, discrimination, and harassment as well as the possibility of imprisonment. Gays and lesbians suffered from harassment and extortion by law enforcement officials. False allegations of homosexuality were used to harass enemies or to extort money."
See also
- Charles Gueboguo, a leading African Scholar working in LGBT issues in Cameroon and in Africa
- Joel Gustave Nana NgongangJoel Gustave Nana NgongangJoël Gustave Nana Ngongang , frequently known as Joel Nana, is a leading African LGBT human rightsadvocate and HIV/AIDS activist. Nana's career as a human rights advocate has spanned numerous...
, a leading African LGBT human rights activist from Cameroon - LGBT rights in AfricaLGBT rights in AfricaLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights in Africa are limited in comparison to other areas of the world, with the BBC estimating that homosexuality is outlawed in 38 African countries...
- Human rights in AfricaHuman rights in AfricaHuman rights as a legal concept is a relatively recent notion in Africa. The United Nations System, international law and the African Union have certainly all contributed to the establishment of a human rights system in Africa, which has positively and indispensably influenced the advancement of...
- Alice NkomAlice NkomAlice Nkom is a Cameroonian lawyer, well-known for her advocacy towards decriminalization of homosexuality in Cameroon. A lawyer since 1969, she was the first woman called to the bar in Cameroon, at the age of 24.-See also:...
, a leading Cameroonian lawyer working toward the decriminalization of homosexuality in Cameroon