In Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé in late September, a lynch mob set upon a gay couple for having sex inside a car that was visible to the public—and killed the two men, according to Metro Weekly.
At first, passersby believed that the two men were discussing a matter in private in the car, which was near a snack bar. But soon witnesses saw the vehicle shaking, prompting them to come closer. A mob soon surrounded the car, pulled out the two men, and threatened to kill them. Authorities intervened, eventually releasing the men. However, members of the mob spotted the two men near the snack bar once again; the crowd attacked the men, stripped off their clothing and beat them to death.
The attacks were captured on video, with LGBTQ+-rights advocates confirming their validity. According to Erasing 76 Crimes, pro-LGBTQ+ activists condemned the violence—but at least one person, Roger H., said, “We are a neglected and vulnerable community. We must be responsible and have decent behavior within society. However, this should not lead to assassinations.”
Cameroon’s first Penal Code, enacted in 1965, did not criminalize homosexuality. However, the law was amended in 1972, imposing a five-year sentence, plus fines, for anyone found guilty of engaging in same-sex relations.
In another recent incident, on Sept. 30, police in Douala, Cameroon, arrested 13 people during a raid on the offices of Alternatives-Cameroon, an AIDS prevention and LGBTQ+-advocacy organization.