In Cameroon, the television channel Canal 2 International is again in the dock for “promoting of homosexuality”. A letter was addressed to the CEO of this private media, Eric Fotso (pictured) by the Cameroonian League of consumers (LCC).

“Your channel has been broadcasting, for some time, a series titled “Double Jeux”. The episode shown on Tuesday 07^th July and again the following day, with a scene where two women are fully kissing on the lips: a serious offence to decency and good morals. The Cameroonian viewers are deeply shocked of this promotion of homosexuality through your high-audience channel”, mentioned the letter signed by one of the regional presidents of LCC, Alphonse Ayissi Abena.

He claimed that his association is simply expressing the “deep discontent of the general population, scandalised by the broadcast of this scene”. Mr Ayissi Abena beseeches the Canal 2 International boss to suspend the program “Double Jeux”.

In September 2013, the television channel, which boasts of the largest audience in Cameroon, had also been accused of promoting homosexuality by journalist Sismondi Barlerv Bidjocka, leader of the Cameroonian Youth Rally association (RJC), and widely known as extremely homophobic. At the time, he was fulminating against the series “Irrational Heart”. The CEO for Canal 2, Eric Fotso, then replied that “the theme of homosexuality is under debate in this film, not promoted”. However, the scenes and dialogues which could affect viewers’ sensibility were cut.

In Cameroon, homosexual relationships are punishable by Article 347 bis of the Penal Code which states: “is punishable by 6 months to 5 years of imprisonment and penalties from FCfa 20,000 to 200,000 any individual who has sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex”.