From BBC News
An appeal court in Cameroon has acquitted two men jailed in 2011 for homosexual acts, their lawyer has said.
Alice Nkom said she was pleased with the decision because the judge who convicted them was influenced by “stereotypes”.
He had stated “the way the men dressed… spoke and the fact that they drank Bailey’s Irish Cream proved they were gay”, Ms Nkom said.
Homosexual acts are illegal in the central African nation.
In November 2011, a court sentenced the two men to five years in prison after police arrested them for allegedly having oral sex in a car in the capital, Yaounde.
They denied the charge.
The Court of Appeals overturned their conviction on Monday, saying they were not guilty, Ms Nkom said.
International gay rights campaign group All Out said it welcomed the ruling.
“This case demonstrates that when courts rely on law and fairness instead of bias and stereotypes, justice is possible,” said Andre Banks, the group’s executive director.
“And while we celebrate…. we renew the call for President Paul Biya to release all other prisoners who have been prosecuted for allegedly being gay or lesbian under Cameroon’s unfair anti-gay law.”
Last month, the Court of Appeals upheld the sentencing to five years in prison of another Cameroonian, Roger Jean-Claude Mbede, under anti-gay legislation.
Related Article: Court Overturns 5-year Sentence for Gay-Sex in Cameroon
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