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Liam O'Dell
Oct 25, 2022
Peter Tatchell detained in Moscow- Gay activist held after one-man protest against …
Peter Tatchell Foundation
Peter Tatchell, prominent human rights campaigner and former leading member of the UK’s Gay Liberation Front, has confirmed he has been freed by police in Qatar after previously being “seized” for protesting the “homophobic” country.
Tatchell was photographed standing outside the National Museum in the capital of Qatar on Tuesday, holding up a sign which stated Qatar “arrests, jails and subjects LGBTs to ‘conversion’” in the first LGBT+ protest in the Gulf state.
Video footage was later shared by the Peter Tatchell Foundation of the campaigner being approached by security services, claiming he had been “seized” with his whereabouts unknown.
Under Qatar’s Penal Code of 2004, “sodomy” and homosexual activity is illegal, with up to seven years’ imprisonment imposed on anyone found to have broken the law.
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It was in 2010 that the country was announced by Fifa as being the hosts of the 2022 World Cup, a controversial decision which prompted campaigners to highlight the country’s troubling record on LGBT+ rights and workers’ rights.
Once news surfaced of Tatchell’s interaction with security forces, those across the UK political spectrum praised the activist’s protest, and expressed concern over the decision taken by Qatari authorities:
\u201cMy friend and fellow human rights activist Peter Tatchell was just arrested in Doha for protesting against Qatar\u2019s homophobic laws 3 weeks before Qatar is hosting the World Cup. I don\u2019t know what the Qatari authorities think they\u2019re doing, but he should be released immediately!\u201d— Bill Browder (@Bill Browder) 1666695332
\u201cI don\u2019t agree with @PeterTatchell on many things but he is braver than nearly all of our footballers. They protest against the USA because they know that won\u2019t hurt them but they are silent about real human rights abuses in China and Qatar.\u201d— Tim Montgomerie \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@Tim Montgomerie \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7) 1666697791
\u201cWhat @PeterTatchell has done takes huge courage.\n\nHis arrest in Qatar only proves his point. A brutal regime that persecutes LGBTQ people should not have been allowed to host the World Cup.\n\nSolidarity, Peter. I hope you\u2019re home safe soon.\u201d— Nadia Whittome MP (@Nadia Whittome MP) 1666699435
\u201cPeter Tatchell is fearless in his activism and I truly hope he is safe and well.\n\nQatar, the eyes on the whole world are on you.\u201d— Juno Dawson (@Juno Dawson) 1666697345
\u201cJust heard that @PeterTatchell has been seized by #Qatar Security in first LGBTQ+ protest in the homophobic Gulf State. Incredibly worrying. Please remember @FIFAcom has awarded the #WorldCup to a nation where gay people can be executed. Shame on them. #QatarAntiGay\u201d— Sandi Toksvig (@Sandi Toksvig) 1666700393
\u201c.@PeterTatchell has been arrested in Qatar after staging a protest about their approach to gay rights.\n\nCourageous doesn't even beging to cover it.\u201d— Josh Glancy (@Josh Glancy) 1666696270
\u201cPeter Tatchell has balls of steel. No other activist walks the walk as well as talking the talk like he does. There are plenty of things on which I disagree with him but his consistency and his courage, both moral and actual, are unarguable.\u201d— (((David Bennun))) (@(((David Bennun)))) 1666696710
\u201cHas any British political activist got stronger nerves of steel than Peter Tatchell honestly.\u201d— Tom Wilson \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Tom Wilson \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1666695799
Then, just after 1:30pm on Tuesday, Tatchell tweeted he had been released, sharing a video in which he thanked people for their messages of support.
\u201cI have been freed by #Qatar police after staging first LGBT+ protest in the homophobic Gulf state. \n@FIFAcom awarded the #WorldCup to Qatar where LGBTs can be jailed & executed. #QatarAntiGay \nMore info: https://t.co/fEOHFIvbHw Please Retweet\u201d— Peter Tatchell (@Peter Tatchell) 1666701285
He revealed he had staged the protest for 35 minutes before the authorities arrived, leading to him being arrested and detained for 49 minutes and “subjected to interrogation”.
He said: “The most important thing is, is this protest was to shine a light on the abuse of human rights in Qatar … Also, I sought to draw attention to the abuse of the rights of women and migrant workers as well.
“I stand in solidarity with those brave Qatari human rights defenders who cannot express their point of view because they fear arrest, jail and possibly even torture.
“I salute them. They are the real heroes.”
We must say your protest was pretty heroic too, Peter.
After all, Tatchell has long been vocal on Qatar hosting the World Cup, telling Indy100 back in 2018 back in 2018 that the country was a "rogue regime" and the decision to let the state host the contest this year as yet another "bad and dangerous decision" by Fifa.
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