Thirty-three men were arrested in a popular spot among the LGBT+ community in Valencia, Venezuela on July 23. After the arrest, the men’s names, photos and ID cards were shared in the media and online. Since released, the men are still awaiting legal proceedings. Venezuelan associations have denounced what they see as a growing trend of “criminalisation” of LGBT+ individuals and institutionalised homophobia in Venezuela.
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On July 23, police arrested 33 men at the Avalon Man Club, a private sauna and spa frequented by the LGBT+ community in Valencia, in the northern Venezuelan state of Carabobo. The operation was allegedly carried out after an anonymous tip-off.
The men were taken to the police station, where they were photographed lined up along a wall. Police photographed their belongings, including identity papers, mobile phones and condoms. These images were shared in the local media and on social networks with their identities left unredacted. The men’s names and ages were shared publicly as well.
‘The police and local media have stigmatised and criminalised them’
Jau Ramírez is the director of SOMOS, a movement working for the rights of sexual…
