Qatar: Security forces target LGBT people with arbitrary arrest and abuse

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), Qatari security forces continue to engage in a pattern of arbitrary arrests and physical abuse against LGBTQ+ individuals. As reported by the organization, the Preventive Security Department has been documented using digital surveillance and 'honey traps' on dating applications like Grindr to identify and detain gay and transgender people. The report details the case of Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a dual British-Mexican citizen, who was allegedly lured into a meeting by officers and subsequently detained on what his family claims are fabricated drug charges. HRW reported that while in custody, detainees are often subjected to severe beatings, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment. The source further claims that transgender women are frequently forced into government-sponsored 'behavioral support' centers, which act as conversion therapy facilities. As a condition for release, many detainees are allegedly forced to sign pledges stating they will 'cease immoral activity' and are often coerced into acting as informants for the security services. According to the report, these actions are facilitated by Article 285 of the Qatari Penal Code, which criminalizes consensual same-sex relations with up to seven years in prison. Human Rights Watch emphasizes that the climate of fear created by these state-sponsored crackdowns prevents many victims from coming forward, as they fear further retaliation or the loss of their livelihoods in a country that lacks any legal protections against discrimination. The summary notes that despite international scrutiny during recent mega-events, the Qatari government's stance remains overtly hostile, with officials repeatedly defending their actions as the upholding of traditional cultural and religious values against 'foreign impositions.'