Police in Qatar Lured a Mexican-British Gay Man in a Grindr Scheme

In February 2024, Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a British/Mexican citizen and gay man, was detained in Qatar, where homosexuality is prohibited. Aviña was a former Qatar Airlines employee. He was found guilty of drug possession in a “honey trap” placed by authorities.

Aviña was deceived and unknowingly responded to fake Grindr messages that were really sent by the authorities. A profile he was texting with lied about meeting other homosexual guys and enticed him to a spot in Doha. The authorities in Doha were prepared to detain him. During the arrest, the police allegedly discovered methamphetamine in his residence, and Aviña stated that they were planted there. On February 4, he was incarcerated. In June, before Doha’s Al Sadd Criminal Court, he was fined and handed a suspended six-month prison sentence.  

Aviña, who is an HIV-positive male, was denied access to his necessary medicine while he was in prison. Additionally, he was coerced into signing paperwork related to his incarceration that was written in Arabic, a language he is not fluent in, without the option of a translation. According to the BBC, he told them that he suffered “psychological torture” and was forced into revealing the identities of his sexual partners by having to go through his phone’s contacts.

“They were trying to force me to confess and unlock my phone, but I couldn’t put other people from the gay community at risk,” Avina says. “Why would I put someone else through that pain?”

The situation outraged many LGBTQ+ advocates and urged for justice. With voices from family and supporters, a worldwide effort by Aviña’s family and activists for his safe return was ultimately successful last week when Avina was released.

X account @QatarFreeManuel posted, “At this moment Manuel flies free and dignified towards London! We are grateful for the unwavering support in this fight for justice. There is no doubt that ‘solidarity is the tenderness of peoples.” It continues, “Manuel and his family thank you for your tireless support in this emblematic struggle against injustice, against homophobia and in favor of human rights for all people. But, as the saying goes, the struggle goes on, it is not over, and it will not end until there is justice for all people. Manuel’s case, and all the cases we have defended, teach us that only organisation, solidarity and courage can change this world and its injustices.”

While Aviña expressed his joy at being able to leave the country, he firmly denounced the unjust trial he had gone through as well as the abuse and mistreatment he had suffered during his pretrial detention.

“Although I welcome the fact that I can leave the country, I still condemn the unfair trial I have been subjected to and the torture and ill-treatment I endured during my preliminary detention.” He adds, “I urge the U.K. and Mexican governments to raise concerns with the relevant Qatari authorities about the unfair trial and the violations of due process.”