To think that if you know the laws of a country and break them anyway you don't deserve much sympathy

[Hoppinggreen]

Ok bracing for impact here as this could be a controversial one.
I was just listening on the radio to the story of the 70 year man who has been arrested n morocco for being gay.
I support the right of anyone to have sex with anyone else as long as both parties are consensual and I think that the fact the homosexuality is illegal in Morroco is a disgrace, and we should look at how we can put political or economic pressure on the Moroccan government to change this. I also hope that this man comes home safe soon.
However ( and here is the but that might get me flamed) how did the authorities know he was gay? He must have been engaging in sexual activity with another man or men to be caught and if he DID know this was illegal then how much sympathy does he deserve really?
I suppose it's like the couple having sex on a beach in Dubai or openly drinking in Abu Dhabi, it's illegal and so if people choose to break the laws of a country ( whether we agree with them or not) should we be outraged that they are punished?
If this gentleman went to Morocco knowing homosexuality is illegal there and had sex ( or tried to) with a man then why shouldn't he be punished?
Again, I genuinely hope this gentleman is safe back with his family soon, I am posting here for a discussion on the concept rather than on what should happen to this man I am using as an example.

I support gay rights (frequently arguing with homophobes on MN and elsewhere) and I despise people who make laws banning who you can love, but they are entitled to make their own laws there even if I think they are vile.

Some countries have a lower age of consent for heterosexual sex. If one of their citizens came here and had sex with an under-age girl "because it's legal back home" there would be calls for him to be lynched. His fellow citizen would look at us as we are looking at the Moroccans.

Maybe we need a wider debate on 'other countries laws'.

Should we respect their laws? - I'd say no,
Should we obey them while there? I'd say yes, but maybe ban ALL tourism there until/unless they change their laws.
Or should we conquer them all and make them all follow our laws?

YABU and very, very goady.

You also aren't allowed to have sex when unmarried in Morocco. I've been there, I didn't know that. I may have shagged there. Do I deserve to be arrested? I agree with PP that if gay people can't go there unmolested, then none of us should.

BackOnlyBriefly please tell me you don't equate consensual gay sex with with sex with children?

It's not about the age of consent it's about peoples sexuality being regulated by the state - you don't choose to be gay

I hve been to many countries where the laws arent the same as here.

The Middle East, cover your head, arms and legs when entering a mosque. I dont particularly like it but of course I will do it. When entering the Far East there are plenty of signs warning about the severe punishments for drug dealing, yet people do it and then bleat and moan when they get the death penalty.

but again covering your arms or dealing drugs isn't the same as being gay

I cover up when entering church - it's custom - it doesn't force me to lie about my very being

gordyslovesheep if you're not going to read what people actually said there's little anyone can do to help you with it.

He's been released and is on his way back to the UK.

good news

YANBU.

Nothing to do with homosexuality (I have no problems with that), but surely if you are travelling to another country then you research their laws and abide by them. If you don't like it then the answer is simple, DON'T GO THERE!

DW would love to see some of the middle east and I'd quite like to see parts of China but we won't go because we don't like elements of the regimes in these countries.
We feel that going there would (a) tacitly show that we were accepting of these laws / regimes and (b) we would have to abide by them ourselves, which we would not be prepared to do. So we stay at home / holiday elsewhere.

Man has of course sumed it up correctly. I wont go to zoos or circus's. I dont like them so I dont go, hopefully if others feel the same they will be closed down.

Why someone insists on going to a country where the rules/policies are completely different to what they want to do is beyond me.