Cameroon's
government is refusing to release from jail the nine men
acquitted last month on homosexuality charges. The men were
part of the "Yaounde 11," detained in May 2005
following a police raid at a nightclub said to be
frequented by gay men and women. Two of the men had
charges dropped earlier this year.
In March, when the case came to court, the
prosecution presented no witnesses, but rather than
dismissing the case, the judge postponed the trial
until April 21. When at that trial the prosecution
offered no proof of the charges and no witnesses were
called again, the judge ruled the men innocent.
But according to their lawyer, the
prosecutor's office has refused to release the
men from Kondegui Prison, saying that they will be retried.
In New York, the International Gay and Lesbian
Human Rights Commission, which has been keeping a
watchful eye on the case, described the latest
situation as "double jeopardy," which is illegal under
international human rights law. (Sirius OutQ News)