The government of Cameroon is attempting to prevent France’s LGBT+ rights ambassador from visiting the nation to host a conference on gender and sexual identity, claiming that the themes under discussion violate the country’s anti-homosexuality laws.
From June 27 to July 1 Ambassador Jean-Marc Berthon is planned to travel to the country of central Africa for the occasion, which will be held at the French Institute in Yaounde, the nation’s capital.
According to an official letter seen by Reuters, the administration informed the French embassy in Cameroon that it opposed Berthon’s visit.
The warning, which was delivered to the French embassy on Monday, states that the French government opposes all of Berthon’s planned actions, including the intended conference.
On Wednesday, multiple calls for comment from the French embassy went unanswered.
Out of the 54 countries in Africa, only 22 permit homosexuality. Same-sex relationships in Cameroon are punishable by up to five years in prison.
According to Human Rights Watch, abuse against the nation’s LGBT+ community is on the rise, including violent attacks and arbitrary arrests.
Weeks after Uganda passed one of the toughest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world—one that includes provisions for lengthy prison sentences and the death penalty—Berthon announced his upcoming trip to Cameroon.
