U.S. on Lembembe murder: Prosecute those responsible

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

The U.S. Department of State issued this statement today on the murder of LGBT activist and Erasing 76 Crimes journalist Eric Ohena Lembembe in Cameroon:

Murder of Cameroonian LGBT and AIDS Activist Eric Ohena Lembembe

Eric Lembembe (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

We deplore the brutal murder of Eric Ohena Lembembe, who was found tortured to death in his home in Yaoundé yesterday. We condemn this terrible act in the strongest terms and urge the Cameroonian authorities to thoroughly and promptly investigate and prosecute those responsible for his death.

Eric Ohena Lembembe was the Executive Director of Cameroonian Foundation for AIDS (CAMFAIDS), an organization dedicated to the fight against AIDS and for the human rights of LGBT people in Cameroon. Just two weeks ago, Mr. Lembembe spoke out against the recent break-ins at the offices of groups advocating for gay rights. The local office of one organization, Alternatives-Cameroun, was set on fire on June 26th.

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The United States actively promotes respect for the human rights of all people, including LGBT individuals, in Cameroon and around the world. We will continue to support activists, like Mr. Lembembe, who stand up for the human rights of all people, regardless of who they are or who they love.