“I never thought I would go home”

A British-Mexican man convicted of drug offenses after being detained in Qatar for six months has informed BBC Information he “by no means thought I might come residence”.

Manuel Guerrero Avina says he was focused as a result of he’s homosexual and in his first interview since leaving Qatar, he warned LGBT folks to “watch out when visiting Qatar” , and stated: “What occurred to me may occur to anybody.”

In February, he was arrested after utilizing the homosexual relationship app Grindr to rearrange a gathering with a person who he later found was an undercover police officer.

Rights teams have raised issues about Manuel’s detention and referred to as his trial “grossly unfair,” however Qatari officers insist he was arrested on drug offences.

The 45-year-old former British Airways worker now desires to concentrate on returning to work and spending time together with his household.

Manuel’s arrest made headlines around the globe and his household launched a marketing campaign for his launch.

in a Trial starts in Junehe was discovered responsible of possession of unlawful substances and given a six-month suspended sentence, fined £2,100 and deported.

Returning to the UK, he has given his first-hand account for the primary time of the 44 days he spent in a Qatar jail and subsequent detention within the nation.

“There have been many instances after I was scared,” Manuel stated.

“I believed I might by no means have the ability to go away.

“I believed I would get misplaced within the system.

“I am actually scared.

“I did not assume I might get residence safely.”

Manuel has maintained that police planted medicine in his condo and stated the true purpose for his arrest was his sexual orientation.

“I completely deny the drug fees,” he informed BBC Information.

“All through the interrogation, all of the questions they requested me had been about my sexual companions, my sexual orientation, whether or not I had intercourse, who I had intercourse with, and so forth.

“If this was only a drug case, they might be asking me about medicine.”

Qatar criminalizes homosexuality, rights teams have warned Raised concerns multiple times In regards to the remedy of the LGBT neighborhood within the nation.

However Manuel stated he has lived there for seven years with out entering into bother with police.

“There appears to be an unwritten rule that no matter occurs in non-public is OK,” he stated.

“I believed I used to be being obedient by warning, however when [in public] And comply with the principles – however I simply need to reside slightly little bit of life at residence.

“I feel it is wonderful so long as it isn’t made public.”

BBC News previously reportedOn February 4, Manuel had been messaging a person on the relationship apps Grindr and Tinder and invited him to his condo.

Manuel stated that after assembly the person within the foyer of his constructing, he was confronted by police, who handcuffed him after which searched his condo, in the end arresting him.

Whereas in jail, Manuel stated he witnessed folks being whipped and moved to cramped circumstances for refusing to unlock their telephones or reveal the names and telephone numbers of different LGBT folks residing in Qatar.

“They tried to pressure me to admit and unlock my telephone – however I could not put others within the homosexual neighborhood in danger,” he stated.

“Why ought to I put others by this ache?”

In a confession written in Arabic and seen by BBC Information, Manuel stated he was compelled to be fingerprinted with out the presence of a lawyer or the assistance of a translator.

We have now not been capable of independently confirm all of his claims.

Most of the allegations about his remedy after his arrest relate to the time he spent behind closed doorways with few witnesses.

However the Guerrero Aviña household shared an in depth timeline of occasions, and former studies on the remedy of LGBT folks and police conduct in Qatar recommend others have had related experiences.

A Qatari official informed BBC Information that Manuel was “handled with dignity and respect all through his detention” and was sentenced “following an investigation and trial.”

He was arrested “for possession of an unlawful substance” and “no different components had been taken into consideration”.

“Mr. Avina and his household have made quite a few false accusations in an try to realize public sympathy and help for his case,” the official stated.

“An individual’s beliefs, background or orientation doesn’t protect them from the results of the regulation, particularly when going through critical fees associated to drug possession.

“Qadda has strict legal guidelines in place to handle the possession of unlawful medicine and authorities are repeatedly working to deal with the problem.

“As Mr Avina himself admits, he has lived in Qatar for seven years with none issues.”

However James Lynch, a former British diplomat in Qatar and co-director of human rights group Truthful Sq., stated the trial was “grossly unfair” and in contrast it to different circumstances he had labored on.

“Manuel was clearly focused as a result of he’s LGBT, residing in Qatar and residing his life,” Lynch stated.

“Up to now three years we’ve handled a number of circumstances the place folks had been arrested and tried with out attorneys.

“Qaddaans want to determine how justice is served within the nation.”

Manuel, who has human immunodeficiency virus, has additionally acquired help from AIDS charities UK after claiming he was not receiving common treatment to manage the virus.

“I needed to beg from jail officers day by day to attempt to get my treatment,” he stated.

“For me, not with the ability to entry treatment was a really troublesome time since you fear concerning the influence of the treatment in your well being, but additionally it impacts your psychological well being.”

Now again within the UK, Manuel stated he’s receiving medical care and slowly changing into extra capable of be his true self.

“It isn’t such as you see symbols like rainbows or flags all over the place,” he stated.

“Extra importantly, it feels nice to have the ability to get again little issues that you simply didn’t notice you had misplaced till you bought them again.

“Like seeing folks holding arms on the road, with the ability to be affectionate with my pals with out eager about how we work together, with the ability to try this with out closing the door.”