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Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a British-Mexican national who was apprehended in a sting operation on the gay dating app Grindr, is facing a six-month suspended sentence as well as a £2,100 fine by a Qatari court after being found guilty of drug possession yesterday. His family has responded by calling his arrest a “honeytrap operation”. Human rights organisations and HIV charities have also criticised the case as representative of Qatar’s homophobic state and security policies.
Grindr Sting
On February 4, 2024, Manuel Guerrero Aviña, 44, a resident of Doha and an employee of Qatar Airways for seven years, was taken into custody by undercover police after they set up a meeting with him on Grindr, a gay dating app. After being taken into custody, he was interrogated and tortured about his sexual orientation for more than six weeks while being imprisoned without being charged.
After authorities discovered that Guerrero Aviña was HIV-positive, he was put in solitary confinement and refused treatment.
On June 5, 2024, Guerrero Aviña was found guilty of possessing drugs with intent to sell by Al Sadd Criminal Court in Doha. The court awarded him a six-month suspended sentence and a £2,100 fine. Additionally, the court ordered his deportation from Qatar.
Allegations of Misconduct and Unfair Trial
Guerrero Aviña’s family and various human rights groups have criticised the trial as unfair, citing concerns over due process and the treatment Guerrero Aviña received while in detention. Amnesty International voiced concerns, pointing out that Guerrero Aviña was forced to sign a confession written in Arabic without being provided a translator and without legal counsel. Qatari officials maintain that Guerrero Aviña’s arrest was strictly related to drug possession. However, Guerrero Aviña denies any involvement with illegal drugs.
Health and Human Rights Concerns
Guerrero relies on regular medication to manage his medical condition. In mid-April, while in detention, his medication ran out, and Qatari authorities denied him medical attention.
According to his family, the medication is not available in Qatar, only in the UK. As such, there are concerns that he could have built up resistance, and the medication will not work anymore.
His family and HIV charities have expressed urgent concern about his well-being, emphasising that the specific treatment he requires is unavailable in Qatar and that his condition could deteriorate rapidly without proper medical care.
Deborah Gold, CEO of the National AIDS Trust, highlighted the dire situation: “We are hugely concerned that he will not be able to access the ongoing medical care and treatment that is his human right while in Qatar.” Guerrero Aviña’s family reported that his medication, prescribed by British doctors, ran out in mid-April, adding to the urgency of his deportation to receive appropriate healthcare.
Implications and International Response
The case has drawn widespread condemnation and has highlighted the broader issues facing LGBTQ+ individuals in Qatar, where homosexuality is still illegal. The “sting” operation and subsequent treatment of Guerrero Aviña underscore the risks and challenges for LGBTQ+ people in the region.
International human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and various HIV advocacy groups, have called for increased scrutiny and pressure on Qatar to uphold basic human rights standards. This incident plays into Qatar’s damaged image in the world arena following a controversial FIFA World Cup hosting, which was held in Qatar in 2022.
