Dear friends,
My name is Alice N’Kom, and here in Cameroon I am one of the only attorneys who defends people who’ve been jailed because they are gay.
In the last two weeks violence against gay people in Cameroon has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels: the situation is quickly becoming a crisis. The president of Cameroon can put a stop to this, and if he feels enough pressure he will do so.
I’m watching police in Cameroon conduct an anti-gay crackdown - people have been arrested on charges of “homosexuality”. One of them, Jean-Claude, has been sentenced to 3 years in prison merely for sending a text message to another man. I’ve heard countless recent stories of homophobic violence throughout the country. I’m 66, and in ten years of defending lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people in Cameroon, it has never been this bad.
Only one person can put an end to this gay bashing - President Paul Biya. He can stop the escalating crisis of homophobic roundups and attacks, and he can immediately release those arrested and call for the end of Cameroon’s laws against homosexuality.
Time is running out. I’m heading to confront the President with these demands. He will not be able to ignore a powerful outcry from every corner of the globe. I am counting on your help.
Alice N’Kom, Cameroonian attorney
Founder of the Association for the Defense of LGBT Rights in Cameroon (ADEFHO)
in partnership with Alternatives-Cameroun.Bad things happen when good people do nothing.
Please, please, PLEASE be a loud voice for the innocent people who have none. Take a few seconds to sign this petition. Gay people are being tortured, set alight, beaten, terrorized and jailed in Cameroon for simply being gay. Add your voice to the thousands who already have here -
http://t.co/cdVkavVVPLEASE HELP STOP THIS. Reblog, reblog, reblog. - Kiel
It doesn’t take more than a minute to reblog this post and sign the petition. Please.
