Cameroon upholds 3-year sentence for gay conduct

A court in Cameroon has upheld a conviction against a man found guilty of homosexual conduct last year for sending a text message to another man saying: "I'm very much in love with you."

The Court of Appeal ruled early Monday that Jean-Claude Roger Mbede, 32, must serve out his three-year jail term. He was provisionally released on bail in July after spending a year and a half behind bars.

Mbede told The Associated Press he's not sure he can put up with the anti-gay attacks and harassment he faced from fellow inmates and prison authorities.

Gay rights activists say the upheld sentence marks yet another setback for gays and lesbians in Cameroon, widely viewed as the most repressive in Africa when it comes to prosecuting same-sex couples.