North African activists in 7 countries seek justice
Human rights groups and LGBTI rights organizations from the seven countries of North Africa have joined forces today to seek recognition for the human rights of LGBTI people on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).
It’s the first time that organisations from the seven countries of North Africa have ever been united in such a campaign, remarks Yahia Zaidi of the MantiQitna Network of Middle Eastern and North African activists.
He and Mohamed Alborgi, executive director of Rainbow Egypt, submitted this statement, which is modestly edited here:
[sogi] Regional North African Online IDAHOT 2017 campaign – Our Colours Are The Crime التهمة ألوان
We would like to present to your our regional North African IDAHOT 2017 online campaign, “Our Colours Are The Crime“.
#OurColoursAreTheCrime is the theme of our regional North African online campaign on the occasion of the World Day against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17, 2017.
Seven groups from all 7 North African countries are participating in this campaign — Alouen Association (Algeria), Mawjoudin Association (Tunisia), Nouakchott Solidarity Association (Mauritania), Rainbow Egypt (Egypt), Rainbow Sudan (Sudan), Quzah Magazine (Libya), and Free Feminist Union (Morocco).
The streets mean a lot for the LGBTQI community. They are the battlefield where we can be exposed to all forms of violence, just for being ourselves, just for being on the streets. We are deprived of the most basic rights, citizenship … sense of security … the use of public property … not only us, but any person who is viewed as different in our society.
We invite you all to join us in this campaign by blogging, tweeting and publishing posts with your stories of violence in public spaces and on the street. Let the world see, hear and read about these human violations.
Our only crime is being different#OurColoursAreTheCrime
https://www.facebook.com/events/942865532483820/
Related articles:
- Archive of this blog’s articles about North Africa and the Middle East.
- Challenging anti-LGBTIQ bias in Arabic media (April 2017, 76crimes.com)
- 2 young Tunisians sentenced to 8 months for gay sex (March 2017, 76crimes.com)
- New coalition in Tunisia fights for LGBTQI rights (February 2017, 76crimes.com)
- LGBTQ magazine publishes in Arabic, not without opposition (July 2016, 76crimes.com)
- Finding LGBTI allies among Muslims, Catholics and more (June 2015, 76crimes.com)
- Remember the Muslims who aren’t anti-LGBTQ (October 2012, 76crimes.com)
- Not There Yet: Inclusion, Acceptance and Support for LGBTQ Muslims (Muslimah Media Watch)
- Queer Muslims Get Straight Respect (Huffington Post)
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