Gay Man Jailed After Police Grindr Trap Allowed to Leave Qatar

A gay British-Mexican man, reportedly entrapped by police in Qatar, has been freed and allowed to leave the country.

Manuel Guerrero Aviña, 44, was arrested and jailed in the capital Doha after being lured to a meeting via the Grindr dating app on 4 February.

The Qatar Airways employee was allegedly denied access to his antiretroviral (ARV) medication, putting his health at serious risk.

Human rights group FairSquare reported that Aviña was detained without charge for over six weeks. During this time, he was interrogated about his sexual relationships and subjected to ill-treatment due to his sexual orientation and HIV-positive status.

Aviña was provisionally released in March but was barred from leaving the country. His case was taken up by activists, civil society groups, and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In a statement published on X on Monday, the campaign started by Aviña’s family to secure his release, announced that he had finally flown out of Qatar.

“We won!” declared the Manuel Guerrero Committee, confirming that he had returned “”free and dignified to London, far from the Qatari dictatorship that tortured and criminalised him for being gay and living with HIV.”

The committee added that Aviña “will spend a few days in London for medical treatment due to the damage to his health resulting from the torture he suffered.”

Qatari authorities have asserted that Aviña’s arrest was “related solely to the possession of illegal substances with the intent to supply,” a claim vehemently denied by his family.

“The Qatari government fabricated controlled substance charges to cover up persecution based on his sexual orientation and medical condition,” insisted the committee.

The statement further emphasised that “the struggle goes on; it is not over, and it will not end until there is justice for all people. Let it be heard loud and clear: Being gay is not a crime!”

Qatar’s Penal Code punishes same-sex relations with up to seven years in prison. Muslims convicted of homosexuality in sharia courts can be sentenced to death by stoning, although this is believed to be rarely enforced.

In 2022, Human Rights Watch reported several horrific incidents in which police in Qatar arrested and mistreated LGBT people ahead of the nation’s controversial hosting of the World Cup.