Monkeypox: Fear over mistreatment of LGBTQ community in Qatar rises
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Yet again, Qatar is in the news for all the wrong reasons. In the countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar's stringent policies and discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ community are raising concerns among rights groups and sports fans seeking to visit the country for the tournament.
Amid these circumstances, the rapid
transmission of monkeypox in countries across the world is raising concerns
over the protection of the LGBTQ community, particularly in Qatar. According to
the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while a number of people
have contracted monkeypox, some groups including the LGBTQ community are at
greater risk of exposure to the disease.
"Anyone, anyone, can develop and
spread monkeypox infection, but many of those affected in the current global
outbreak identified as gay and bisexual men," said Dr. John Brooks, chief
medical officer for the CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.
In an interview with The Associated Press,
Dr. David Heymann, former head of WHO’s emergencies department, also pointed to
a link between the spread of monkeypox to sexual transmission among gay and
bisexual men at two raves held in Spain and Belgium.
Concerns over LGBTQ rights in Qatar
In view of this development, rights groups
have expressed fear over the mistreatment of the LGBTQ community in Qatar due
to the monkeypox outbreak.
Over the years, LGBTQ people have been
facing unprecedented discrimination in Qatar due to the conservative laws of
the Arab nation. As per recent media reports, several hotels in Qatar are
refusing to provide accommodation to same-sex couples from foreign countries
ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Qatari laws have banned homosexual relations in
the country, targeting violations with severe punishments.
LGBTQ fans have also expressed their
reservations about travelling to the country after it was reported that the
Qatari officials may take away rainbow flags.
Meanwhile, cases of monkeypox have already
been reported in the US, UK, Australia, France and Germany among other countries
in Europe.
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