Ten women in the West African nation of Cameroon have been
arrested over claims they might be lesbians.
Recently, Cameroon Radio Television detailed that the ten women
- who have not yet been identified -are currently being held in
custody until their trial.
Currently, same-sex sexual acts are banned by section 347 of the
Cameroon penal code and the women could face up to five years in
jail, if convicted.
They may also be fined with an additional penalty fee of 200,000
francs each.
Gay rights defender and founder of the Association for the
Defense of Homosexuals, Alice Nkom, told the Associated Press that
detainees in Cameroon are frequently tortured to obtain so-called
confessions.
"People accused of homosexuality are put in jail straight away,"
she said.
Meanwhile, Liberia's former first lady, Jewel Taylor, submitted
a bill last week that would make homosexuality a first-degree
felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
"We are only strengthening the existing law," she told the
Associated Press.
