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May 05, 2006

Cameroon refuses to release men acquitted of homosexuality charges

Cameroon’s government is refusing to release from jail the nine men acquitted last month on homosexuality charges. The men were part of the "Yaoundé 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)

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