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Two Black Lesbian Former US Soldiers Sentenced To 25 Years In Kuwaiti Prison

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Washington, DC (DailyHaze) – Monique Coverson and her girlfriend 
Larissa are facing the very real possibility that they will 
spend the next 25-years of their life in a Kuwaiti prison.

After serving in the United States Army for seven years, Monique 
and Larissa returned to Kuwait as military contractors. Last 
May, police kicked in their door and found an ounce of a 
suspicious tobacco-like substance. After sending the substance 
to Germany for testing, it was discovered the substance was K2. 
Which is legal in Kuwait.

But Monique’s family claim that something changed after 
receiving the initial results. The girl’s lawyer claimed that 
the two would be fine due to the legal standings of K2, yet both 
girls remained in prison for months as they waited to go to 
court. When it came time for their trial, they were no longer 
looking at an ounce of K2. Now it was claimed the two had one 
pound of hash.

Kuwait is one of the worst places to receive any kind of drug 
charge. You can expect large fines, lengthy jail sentences and 
even the possibility of death. For being caught with alcohol you 
can face large fines, lengthy jail sentences and even 
deportation.

On January 16 of this year, the two women were sentenced to 25-
years in prison for possessing one pound of hash. A possession 
charge they claim to be false. But why would these charges be 
falsely used against the two women? Monique’s family believes it 
could be in relation to their openly homosexual lifestyle.

Kuwait holds a semi-complicated view towards homosexuality. 
While being gay is not flat out outlawed, homosexuals are still 
prosecuted under the “debauchery” law. The Kuwaiti penal code 
contains provisions that can easily be used to target those in 
the LGBT community.

In Kuwait, two men being caught in sexual activity could result 
in up to 6 years in jail, but it is technically legal for women 
to participate in same sex activity. Gays and lesbians are not 
allowed to serve in the military. Joint adoption, or step child 
adoption is not allowed for same-sex relationships. There is no 
recognition for same-sex couples. There is also no protection 
from discrimination in employment, purchasing goods or services 
and the use of hate speech.

Monique’s mother has started a petition on Change.org asking for 
the US government to look into the possibility of the wrongful 
imprisonment of her daughter and her girlfriend. As of now the 
petition has received 17,220 signatures out of a goal of 25,000. 
The petition reads as follows.

“My daughter Monique earned a stellar record for her seven years 
as a soldier in the United States Army, stationed in Kuwait. 
Now, she and her partner wallow in a Kuwaiti prison, facing 25 
years on baseless charges.

After active duty, Monique and her partner Larissa later 
returned to Kuwait to work as military contractors. On the the 
morning of May 8, 2015, their house was raided and police 
confiscated one ounce of a “tobacco-like” substance. It was sent 
to a lab in Germany for analysis, and it was determined to be a 
substance that is completely legal in Kuwait. Yet, Kuwaiti 
officials held them in prison anyway. After 8 months of 
uncharged incarceration, the one ounce of legal substance 
magically turned into one pound of marijuana, and on January 12, 
2016, Monique and Larissa were sentenced to 20-25 years in 
prison.

I am begging the US Government to do what it can to get my 
daughter and her partner out of jail and back to the States. 
They have clearly been targeted by the Kuwaiti government for 
their lifestyle, and could spend half their lives in prison for 
it.

This whole ordeal is a nightmare. One minute, I was expecting 
her for Mother’s Day, and the next, I was told she was in 
prison. Everything I have learned has been through her friends 
and her lawyer, who has only called to demand more money — money 
for services he hasn’t rendered. Right now, I would do anything 
just to hear her voice.

To this day, I cannot understand how the US government has 
allowed them to remain in prison. They were not in possession of 
an illegal substance, yet their freedom and belongings have been 
taken away from them. They are being held captive in a foreign 
land for a crime they did not commit, with no help in sight.

I need all of you who read this to help me send a message to the 
US Government, and ask them to do what is right and get Monique 
and Larissa out of jail and bring them home. This injustice 
cannot stand. Please sign my petition.”

Written by Meko Haze for DailyHaze.

So don't be gay.  It's your choice.

http://pontiactribune.com/2016/02/two-former-us-soldiers-
sentenced-to-25-years-in-kuwaiti-prison/
      

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Two Black Lesbian Former US Soldiers Sentenced To 25 Years In Kuwaiti Prison "edellwy" <edellwy@ottawa.ca> - 2017-08-03 19:44 +0200

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