A Cameroonian lawyer is risking everything to defend LGBT rights

Despite being defamed, threatened and publicly defamed, Cameroonian lawyer Alice Nkom is determined to fight for gay rights. in his country.

The private human rights organization he manages, Redhac, was recently set up by the government and will appear before investigators to answer allegations of money laundering and financing of terrorist groups – which he denies.

The 80-year-old says the authorities are interfering with his work and believes he is being targeted because of his advocacy for the law and the LGBT community.

“I will always defend homosexuals because they risk their freedom every day, and they are thrown in jail like dogs,” he told the BBC in a firm voice, speaking from his office in the city of Douala.

“My job is to protect people. I don’t see why I can say that I protect everyone except gay people.”

Dressed in a black dress, Ms Nkom delivered her strong message in a measured voice that reflected years of legal wrangling.

According to the country’s law, men and women found guilty of homosexuality can be sentenced to five years in prison and pay a fine. Members of the LGBT community also face discrimination from their families and the wider community.

This has led to Ms. Nkom being viewed as a married parent to some in her country who have come out openly about sex with their families.

The legal expert has children of his own, but hundreds, perhaps thousands, of others look to him as their protector following his more than two decades of work defending those accused of homosexuality.

“She is like our father and mother. She is the mother we find when our families have abandoned us,” said LGBT activist Sébastien, not his real name.

Committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is included in the constitution of Cameroon, Ms Nkom says that freedom from discrimination based on gender should be considered a fundamental right that goes beyond the penal code.

“You shouldn’t restrict basic rights, you shouldn’t suppress them – you should protect them,” he said.

This is the struggle that put Mrs. Nkom in difficulty.

He says that he has been threatened many times on the street, and he revealed that when he first entered the law, he hired security guards to help him protect him.

But his journey to become one of Cameroon’s top law enforcement officials began before that.

In 1969, at the age of 24, she became the first black female lawyer in the country, after studying in both France – a former colonial country – and Cameroon.

She says she was encouraged to continue her studies by her boyfriend at the time, who ended up being her husband.

His previous legal career involved representing the wealthy and disadvantaged but it was a chance meeting in 2003 that led him to become involved in the fight against homophobia.

He was in the public prosecutor’s office in Douala when he saw a group of young people tied up in pairs, who did not have the courage to look up.

“When I looked at the court docket, I found out that they were being prosecuted for homosexuality,” he said.

This upset his concept of human rights and he made it clear that sexual minorities should be included among those whose rights are protected by the constitution.

“I decided to fight to ensure that this right to freedom is respected,” added Ms. Nkom.

He went on to found the Association for the Defense of Homosexuality (Adefho) in 2003.

Since then he has been involved in many cases. One of the highlights of recent years was his defense of transgender celebrity Shakiro and friend, Patricia, in 2021.

The two were arrested while eating at a restaurant and charged with “attempted homosexuality”.

They were sentenced to five years for violating the penal code and defaming the public image.

“It’s hitting with a hammer. It’s the highest word mentioned in the law. The message is clear: homosexuals have no place in Cameroon,” Ms. Nkom was quoted as saying at the time.

Shakiro, along with Patricia, was later released pending appeal and has since fled the country.

Since then the situation of LGBT people has not improved. LGBT activist Sébastien, who runs a charity to support families with gay children, feels things are getting worse lately.

Last year, a song based on the popular mbolé rhythm was released with a title and lyrics encouraging people to understand and kill homosexuals. It is widely distributed, and is regularly performed in leading venues in the country’s major cities.

“People are attacking us because of this song that glorifies crime,” said Sébastien.

LGBT people should hide their gender identity but “some people set traps to approach us and attack us or report us to the police,” he said.

Ms Nkom says that when Brenda Biya, the daughter of President Paul Biya, came out saying she was gay last year, she thought it would help to change the law.

Mrs Biya – who spends a lot of time outside of Cameroon – has been there he was quoted as saying that he hopes that his coming out in the open can change things at home.

Ms. Nkom sees an opportunity. “I use Brenda’s case as an example. Now I have a case that I can challenge the president,” he said.

The lawyer also asked Ms. Biya to do more for the cause of the LGBT community in Cameroon.

“Brenda has not answered me, since I issued a statement to the media, but I know she will.”

However, for now, he will continue his legal career.

He views the latest attempt to limit his efforts as just another obstacle – not enough made him stop the war he has been fighting since 2003.