He is the first gay man from Qatar to appear in public. Nasir Muhammad now lives in exile in the United States.
He still fears for his life.
“I don’t feel safe, especially after I’m officially out,” he tells TV 2.
Homosexuality is a crime and can be punished with up to seven years in prison in Qatar.
After appearing on the BBC, he received death threats – but also a huge number of inquiries from other gays from all over the Middle East who live in secret.
– We’re all afraid to talk. But it is important, especially now.
– In 2022 I will be the first to come out. This alone should tell the story of what is happening to us.
The award of this year’s World Cup did not make it easy for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Qatar.
On the contrary, according to Nasser.
– I left Qatar several years ago, but I still have contact with the people who live there – it has become very strict for LGBT people. More than before. It is absolutely impossible to exist socially, legally in the health system – to feel safe and to live there.
– Practice attacking homosexuals
Everyone is welcome during the World Cup that takes place in November/December, said World Cup Director Hassan Al Thawadi.
Meanwhile, Major General Abdulaziz Abdullah Al-Ansari stated that rainbow flags can be taken from fans during the Qatar World Cup.
To protect them from being attacked
Participates in monitoring security around the World Cup event.
Warning against rainbow flags: Major General Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al-Ansari. Photo: Darko Bandic
– They say they want to confiscate rainbow flags to protect fans, and there’s something real about that. Because we are under attack there. What happens if something happens to a football fan? Nasir Muhammad asks.
Police and the community are trained to attack gays.
They learn that homosexuality is evil.
– How do you think it will be for gay fans during the World Cup?
– I’m worried about the fans, to be honest. Because the fans have been training to attack us for a long time. How will their training these days change the elements of the World Cup?
– What are the police doing now?
– This is a minefield, says head football Liz Clavins.
She was very concerned about what she could do with the safety of LGBT people, when she was in Doha this week.
Police: Liz Clavins is concerned that the authorities are ensuring that police are trained. Photo: AFP
– He’s finding concrete. What do the authorities do now with training the police if there is a person carrying a rainbow flag in front of a mosque? What do the police do if they put a rainbow flag on their faces?
Calvinism influenced by Abdel Nasser’s novels.
– It’s strong, this is the first gay open in Qatar. It says something about discipline and how strong control is around this issue.
The football chief lobbied for Qatar’s ban on homosexuality to be lifted during the World Cup – to no avail.
– Now we have to work concretely to make it as safe as possible during the tournament, and for Qatari gays to move in a positive direction afterwards.
Impacted: Head of Football Liz Clavins said it was heartening to hear the story of Nasser Mohamed. Photo: Marte Christensen/TV 2
– Rainbow flags will not appear
Marie Norback believes that gay football fans who travel to Qatar have a privileged background that offers some protection.
She is a post-doctoral fellow at the Christian Michelsen Institute, and she knows very well the conditions in Qatar.
PRIVATE: Social anthropologist Marie Norbach believes that visiting gay football fans will get some protection in Qatar. Photo: Erik Teige/TV 2
When the World Cup director says everyone is welcome, I think he means it. But then for the backers. As long as they don’t show love in public.
Nordback fears that some will see the rainbow’s effects as a provocation.
– I don’t know if you took the opportunity today to go with a rainbow flag or a rainbow bracelet. And I know that I at least wouldn’t have taken the opportunity if I had come from a country where homosexuality is also prohibited.
FIFA Flag Only: Rainbow Effects are illegal in Qatar. Photo: Pål S. Schaathun/TV 2
She thinks there is a danger of bringing her home with a message that this person has expressed solidarity with the scammers.
The common approach for visitors who do not adhere to the rules in Qatar is deportation.
However, Norback asks questions about who to focus on in this matter.
– Are they the ones who will travel and go out. Or are they the ones who will live there with the fallout from the World Cup for the foreseeable future?
Security guards everywhere: CCTV and security guards are part of the city of Doha. Photo: Pål S. Schaathun/TV 2
Beckham appeals
In the United States, Nasser Mohammed started his own company signature campaign.
He doesn’t think waving rainbow flags during the World Cup will help, but strong personalities such as Qatar’s ambassador David Beckham and FIFA leaders must raise their voices.
Beckham immediately supports gay players who come out of the closet. But when it comes to us in Qatar and LGBT fans, you won’t hear a thing.
Qatar Ambassador: David Beckham is one of the ambassadors for the World Cup. Pictured here at a Formula 1 race in the country. Photo: Andrej Isakowicz
It should be the most influential positions that cannot be hurt by Qatar, which should speak frankly.
It is feared that the situation of homosexuals in Qatar will worsen after the end of the World Cup.
– Now the country is being monitored with spotlights, and that can be bad for us. The World Cup gives a lot of people opportunities to express their opinions and get out of there afterwards.
That’s why it’s so important that top footballers like Liz Clavins also work for lasting change, he says.
Her talk was important, but I want to challenge her that she only talked about decriminalization after the World Cup.
Channel 2 TV was in contact with the Qatari authorities and had the opportunity to respond to Nasser Mohammed’s statements in this case, but it has not received any response so far.
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