'Qatar targeted my brother on Grindr – I want him home’
The family of a gay British-Mexican man held in Qatar for alleged drug offences has given further details of what they say was a “honeytrap” operation using the gay dating app, Grindr.
Manuel Guerrero Aviña was approached online by a man called “Gio” and they arranged to meet – but he was instead met by police and arrested on false drug charges, Manuel’s brother Enrique told the BBC.
Manuel, who has HIV, has now completely run out of his usual medication, his family says. They want the UK government to bring him back home for treatment.
Amnesty International has described Manuel’s experience in detention as “nothing short of horrific” and says that his trial was “marred by a range of due process violations.” Its concerns are echoed by other human rights organisations the BBC has spoken to.
Qatari officials insist Manuel has been treated “with respect and dignity”.
At first glance “Gio” – who also used the name “Mike” – looked like the thousands of other men on dating apps around the world.
His Grindr profile, seen by the BBC, was full of gym selfies showing off his six-pack. His listed interests were karaoke, football and Netflix.