- checking login information
Loading...15 Arrested in Gambia Under Suspicion of Being Gay
At least 15 men have been arrested in Gambia under “suspicion of homosexuality,” reports say.
The men, all Gambians except one Senegalese, were arrested late Monday when police raided a bar in a popular tourist area. Officers had received a tip of people “publicly displaying or promoting homosexual activities,” a senior police officer speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP.
“They will be charged accordingly after we have completed our investigations,” the police official said.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the men were arrested for “indecent practice between [men],” though at this stage no official word has been issued on the precise framing of the charges.
Under Gambia’s Article 144 of the Criminal Code, any same-sex sexual act is punishable with up to 14 years imprisonment though the full penalty is rarely invoked.
The hostile environment Gambia creates for its LGBT citizens has long been a concern for international rights groups.
This was compounded in 2008 when Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, having repeatedly denounced homosexuality in the past, went so far as to vow to behead gay people. Jammeh, following international condemnation, later retracted this threat.
In February Jammeh then spoke out again, saying: “We know what human rights are. Human beings of the same sex cannot marry or date. If you think it is human rights to destroy our culture, you are making a great mistake because if you are in the Gambia, you are in the wrong place then.”
The U.S. Department of State’s 2010 Human Rights Report noted the systemic discrimination LGBTs face in the country, saying that ”there is strong societal discrimination against LGBT individuals, but officially there are no laws that deny such individuals access to citizenship, employment, housing, education, or healthcare.”
Care2 will continue to follow this story as it develops.
Related Reading:
Europe Condemns Nigeria’s Gay Marriage Prohibition Bill
Historic UN LGBT Rights Session Sees Walkout
Cameroon Reportedly Prosecuting 3 Women for Being Lesbians
Read more: criminalization of homosexuality, human rights, lgbt criminalization, lgbt Gambia, lgbt rights
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Recent Comments from Causes
Cruelty is not an option!
Nice idea!
"if you don't watch tv, james, maybe you will then have some time to educate yourself with REAL news…
meet our writers
48 comments
+ add your ownJohn W., for the love of crumbcake, I hope you are simply a troll trying to rile up responses because that is one of the most messed-up statements I have ever heard. Being gay is a part of nature, not against it. It has been around for as long as there have been males and females.
It disturbs me to hear someone expressing such hate, then referring to themselves as part of the "decent public". Decent people don't endorse locking people up simply for being different. Whether it is a choice or no, sex between consenting adults isn't harming anyone else. Spreading hate and bigotry is damaging to everyone.
Do not agree with their opinion, but they should not be imprisoned for their personal point of view!
Thanks for the share!
Bunch of hypocrites! They do not mind the hoards of gay tourists that travel there every year. When they are spending money in their country they turn a blind eye.
Thanks
More disturbing news for Africa's LGBTQ community.
Karen H
Many countries arrest people on suspicion of having committed a crime, including the UK. What's your point?
I'm assuming that Gambia arrests people on "suspicion" of other crimes as well. Where's the proof?
And as Mari G points out so well, how can someone read an article like this and think people choose to be gay. Yeah, they choose to be arrested, charged and threatened with beheading.
Thanks for the article.
I made a video about why Homosexuals should have equal rights. It’s at my YouTube channel Zarrakan, and here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdK5ETOJusw
Watch it, share it, and join the fight against the evil Homophobes.
login to add your comment
use your care2 login
add your comment