Man Claims Qatar Police Gang-Raped Him In Hotel For Being Gay
Image: The country's treatment of member of the LGBTQ community has come under heavy fire before the FIFA World Cup 2022 has even begun. Photo: Fatih Renkligil/ Wikimedia Commons
A gay man who lived in Qatar has recently come forward and revealed that he was a victim of a vicious gang rape at the hands of men from the Qatari police force.
As reported by inews, a man called Ali shared this harrowing experience, putting a light on sting operations put in place in order to entrap members of the LGBTQ community.
Trigger Warning: This story discusses an attack on a gay man, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
Ali had moved to Qatar’s capital Doha from the Philippines after the death of his father. Ali stated that he often used apps to meet and hook up with other gay men – as homosexuality is illegal in Qatar.
As reported by inews, Ali had organized to meet up with a Turkish man in a hotel with the acceptance that money would be exchanged. Unfortunately, he discovered six men waiting inside the hotel room for him.
Ali claims that the men were members of the Qatari police force. In his interview with inews, Ali spoke about being cornered in the room.
“I really wanted to jump [out] the window but I can’t, it’s too high and I’m already cornered inside the room,” Ali said.
“They catch me and threw me on the bed. They started to rape me.”
After the assault, Ali claims that an officer told him to shut up and proceeded to slap him on both sides of his face.
It’s been alleged that officers took photos of the initial conversation between Ali and the Turkish man and would use this as evidence of homosexuality and prostitution.
The Aftermath
Ali spent the night in jail and was later deported back to the Philippines.
“I have trauma from what happened,” he said.
While this is only one harrowing tale, Qatar’s human rights record has come under heavy scrutiny due to the country hosting this year’s FIFA World Cup 2022.
LGBTQ fans and even football players have expressed their fear for their safety due to the country’s strict anti-LGBTQ laws.
This is despite CEO of FIFA World Cup 2022, Nasser Al Khater claiming that “everyone is welcome” ahead of the tournament.
Sting Operations Common
Dr Nasser Mohamed, Qatar’s ‘first’ openly gay man currently works with Human Rights Watch and has confirmed that the sting operation used to entrap Ali is common in the country.
“They’re called the Preventive Security Department,” he told inews.
“They’re not technically part of the police. They’re a national security team.”
Dr Mohamed spoke about their “biggest targets are feminine gay men and transgender women – because it’s visible.”
