Is Qatar using Grindr to detain homosexual individuals?

Grindr Profiles: Qatar Accusations of Trapping Homosexuals?

Manuel Guerrero resides in Qatar and holds dual citizenship from the UK and Mexico. He's openly gay, which allegedly makes him a target for Qatari security authorities. The trial against him begins in June, not due to his homosexuality, which is illegal in the country, but due to alleged drug offenses.

The luxurious artificial island "The Pearl" is one of Doha's most exclusive residential areas, where luxury, relaxation, and a thriving community peacefully coexist. For Guerrero, this place became a nightmare.

On February 4, he meets a man named "Gio" on the gay dating platform Grindr. According to his profile, he enjoys karaoke, soccer, and owns a cat. His interests also include karaoke, soccer, and Netflix.

Guerrero, a British and Mexican citizen, wants to get to know this man and invites him to his apartment on "The Pearl." His brother, Enrique Guerrero, shares what happened next with ntv.de: "Manuel went into the lobby, but was immediately handcuffed and arrested. This was arbitrary, even by Qatari standards."

The Qatari authorities claim they discovered amphetamines in the 45-year-old's apartment after his arrest. However, they found the drugs after the arrest, so it's doubtful that was the actual reason for it. "The arrest and subsequent investigation concern only the possession and distribution of illegal substances, with no other factors involved," a Qatari official stated to The Guardian.

Allegations of Torture

Guerrero spent 43 days in prison, without a lawyer or translator. His brother describes his conditions as inhumane: "The Qatari state tortured him several times. They made him watch other prisoners being whipped and threatened to do the same to him if he didn't unlock his phone. They interrogated him at night, even in the middle of the night, just to get the names of his sexual partners." The allegations regarding drug possession no longer appeared in the interrogations.

The claims made by Guerrero and his family cannot be independently verified. Many of the allegations about his treatment after his arrest occurred behind closed doors with few witnesses. However, previous investigations by ntv and RTL into both the treatment of the LGBTQ community and the behavior of the police in the country suggest that others have had similar experiences. Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in the desert state, punishable by a prison sentence of up to seven years.

James Lynch, a former British diplomat in Qatar and currently the co-director of the human rights organization FairSquare, told the BBC: "From the start, it was about his LGBT status and his desire to express that status and identity." Guerrero is a member of the LGBT community and was approached through a dating app. "You don't make a move like that unless you're focused on that."

June Trial

For Guerrero, who worked as a project manager for Qatar Airways, his imprisonment is worsened by the fact that he suffers from HIV. According to his family, the authorities repeatedly denied him his antiretroviral medication while he was in custody. "After about five or six days of giving him the antiretroviral medication, they stopped again to put more psychological pressure on Manuel. They used his HIV infection as a means of torture." Officials from Qatar told the BBC that Manuel was "treated with respect and dignity during his detention."

To date, Manuel Guerrero has not provided the authorities with any contact from his address book. "That is the reason why they have continued to put pressure on him," his brother suspects. He's reached out to the British and Mexican embassies in Doha, initiated proceedings at the UN in Geneva, and organized a demonstration in London. "David Cameron and the Foreign Office must act quickly, as someone's life and health are in danger. The British Embassy has documented the torture and human rights abuses Manuel has endured."

Since his release from prison, Guerrero has not been allowed to leave Doha. He's lost his job at Qatar Airways and suffers from PTSD. At least Guerrero now has a lawyer, and they are preparing for the first court hearing on June 4 - officially, it's still a trial for drug possession. His brother Enrique claims that Manuel Guerrero has never used drugs and alleges that a small amount of methamphetamine was planted on him, and he confessed under duress that it belonged to him. According to Qatari sources, he faces a prison sentence of between six months and three years for drug possession and use.