A mobile court in Sylhet on Tuesday, 22 September, sentenced two young men to jail a day after police detained them in the area of the Shah Jalal shrine. One of the men was sentenced to 15 days in jail and the other to one month.
Police had detained the two men on Monday, 21 September. During a body search, police reportedly found condoms on them. Police then checked their mobile phones, including their personal social media accounts and private messages, and reportedly found messages related to same-sex relationships. Based on the condoms and the messages, the two men were taken into custody.
Video related to the detention of two young men in the Shah Jalal shrine area, Sylhet. The faces of the two men have been blurred to protect their identity.
Carrying condoms is not an offence under Bangladeshi law; condoms are distributed free of charge through the government’s family planning programme. The search of the men’s phones, social media accounts and private messages raises concerns about their right to privacy, which Article 43 of the Constitution of Bangladesh protects for every citizen’s correspondence and other means of communication.
References
- Information provided directly to LGBTIQ Phobia Monitoring BD by one of the affected persons.
- Video of the detention: https://youtu.be/nFHcHEwGqMI
