Fighting for Justice: The Struggle for Manuel Guerrero Aviña, an LGBTQ+ Man Arrested for Drug Possession in Qatar

On February 4, Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a Mexican national and member of the LGBTQ community, was arrested in Qatar for possession of illegal substances. The police had set up a trap using the dating app Grindr to lure him to a meeting place in Doha where he was detained by plainclothes agents.

However, his family and friends disputed the charges against him and formed the Manuel Guerrero Liberation Committee to fight for justice. They claimed that the sentence was not final and could be appealed by both Guerrero and the prosecution. The Committee accused the Mexican government of misinformation regarding the case.

Authorities in Qatar maintained that Guerrero Aviña was arrested based on his possession of drugs, which he allegedly admitted to during a drug test. However, Guerrero’s family maintained that the drugs were planted on him by the police.

Amnesty International reported that Guerrero Aviña was held without charge for over six weeks and subjected to interrogation and ill-treatment due to his sexual orientation and HIV positive status. He was denied access to legal representation and faced unfair trial procedures. Amnesty International called for his conviction to be overturned.

The case has garnered international attention due to concerns about human rights violations and discrimination against the LGBTQ community in Qatar. Guerrero’s family and supporters continue to fight for justice and call for a fair resolution to the case.