Homosexuality is a crime in Cameroon: Three persons including Shakiro237 charged and jail for homosexual activities in Douala, the Economic Capital of Cameroon. LGBT rights
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Shakiro237
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights are often violated especially in the African continent. Though some countries especially in the Western World have legalized LGBT Rights, most countries in Africa are yet to legalized LGBT Rights. Apart from South Africa, other African countries have not legalized LGBT rights. Punishment for LGBT in Some countries like in the Northern Region of Nigeria is death.
Crimes relating to Homosexuality, Lesbianism, and Transgender in Cameroon are punishable with imprisonment and fine. Recently, three persons including a crossdresser, Shakiro237 have been found guilty of homosexuality and jailed by the High Court of Ndokoti in Douala. The recent move by the Cameroonian authorities signals a warning to those into homosexual activities.
Cameroon’s Law No 2016/007 OF 12 July 2016 relating to the Penal Code in its section 347-1 sanctioned Homosexuality as follows. “Whoever has sexual relations with a person of the same sex shall be punished with imprisonment for from six (6) months to five (5) years and a fine of from 20,000 (twenty thousand FCFA to 200,000(two hundred thousand).”
Article 83(1) of a December 2010 Law on Cybersecurity and Cybercrime further stipulate that those who make sexual propositions to a person of their sex through electronic communications shall be punished with imprisonment of one to two years and a fine of 500,000 to 1,000,000 CFA francs or only one of these two penalties.
The Question is, are LGBT Rights Human Rights?
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
