A GLOBAL ANALYSIS OF THE LGBTIQ+ SITUATION AND CAMEROON IN PARTICULAR.
The situation of LGBTIQ+ persons remains a great concern in many countries around the world, as they continue to be victims not only of prejudice, but above all of arrests, arbitrary detentions, threats, harassment , acts of torture, violence, discrimination and murders in countries where Homophobia and the legislation is fierce towards homosexuality like Cameroon.
At a Global level, 71 countries criminalize homosexuality as of 2021. Most of these counties are located in the Middle-East, Africa and Asia. In 11 counties, the death penalty is imposed or at least a possibility for private, consensual same sex activity, 6 of these counties implement the death penalty that is, Iran, Northern Nigeria through the Sharia Law, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen and the death penalty is a possibility in Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. While in 43 of these countries, private consensual sexual activity between women using laws against Lesbianism, sexual relations with a person of the same sex and gross indecency are criminalized. 15 of these countries criminalize the gender identity and or expression of transgender people using cross dressing, impersonation and disguise laws. Around 93% of Sub-Saharan Africans are either Christians (63%) or Muslims (30%) making the continent one of the most religious in the world. These beliefs influence many facets of people’s lives, including their attitudes towards the LG BTIQ+ community. Most religious texts say that homosexuality is problematic that is, considered as sin or punishment from a divine deity
Cameroon’s first Penal Code, enacted in 1965, didn’t criminalize consensual same-sex sexual acts. An ordinance issued in September 1972 by President Ahmadou Ahidjo introduced Article 347bis (now 347-1). This amendment took place a few months after the advent of the unitary state under the new constitution, when the National Assembly had not yet been elected. Article 347 of the Cameroon Penal Code criminalizes sexual contact between members of the same sex with a penalty of six months to five years in prison and a fine of CFA francs 20,000 to 200,000. If the prohibited acts are carried out with a minor of sixteen to twenty-one years of age, the penalties are doubled. Also, The Law on Cyber security and Cybercrime (Law No. 2010/012 of 21 December 2010) criminalize online same-sex sexual propositions. Under Article 83(1) any person who makes 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. Under Article 83(2) it is established that the penalties are doubled when the proposals have been followed by sexual intercourse.
@wfw by Nkwain Hamlet.
