Sami Hamwi, GME Syria Editor, 10.5.11 (GMESyria on Twitter)

Damascus now looks very different than it used to be only a few weeks ago when it was known for its late-night life especially for LGBT people. Despite lifting the emergency law, security agencies “secret police” are still arresting, threatening, and, in some places, killing people. Any kind of gathering is still forbidden and questioned by the secret police. A few days ago, my friends and I were waiting for a bus a little bit after midnight, when we were questioned by secret police; they checked our phones for videos or pictures, and they asked to check my laptop. Suspecting that we are gay, they made some offensive remarks about LGBT people trying to provoke a response.

A few days ago, a gay guy was arrested in a coffee shop while using its Wi-Fi internet connection to watch youtube videos about the protests, the waiters tipped the police about him.

Damascus is not safe anymore because of the secret police, not because of anything else. LGBT people have a lot more to be afraid of these days, especially that the secret police might threaten them to expose them as LGBT people if they “do not cooperate”.