Rally: London Tuesday 23 July 2-4pm
Call for Cameroon’s suspension from the Commonwealth
Secretary General must publicly condemn homophobic witch-hunt
Protest against the torture & murder of LGBT and HIV activist Eric Lembembe in Cameroon.
Tuesday 23 July
2-4pm, Cameroon High Commission, 84 Holland Park, London W11 3SB. Nearest tube: Holland Park (Central Line).
Organised by African LGBTI group, Out & Proud Diamond Group, with the support of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. Join us.
See the four protest demands below.
“Eric was a courageous public champion of the rights of LGBT people and people with HIV. He was subjected to a particularly horrific, brutal attack. Many other LGBT people in Cameroon have been victims of violent threats and assaults. Several are in prison for consenting same-sex relations. Roger Jean-Claude Mbede was jailed for three years for sending a text message to another man saying ‘I love you’. He got three years for a text message expressing love. It’s unbelievable,” said human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation.
“Cameroon should be suspended from the Commonwealth. It’s anti-gay witch-hunt violates Commonwealth values and the Commonwealth Charter. The Commonwealth Secretary General must end his silence and speak out publicly against homophobic persecution in Cameroon. President Paul Biya should also publicly condemn the killing and halt the state-sponsored victimisation of LGBT people,” said Mr Tatchell.
READ about Eric’s horrific, brutal murder: http://bbc.in/14WaouF
READ this moving tribute to Eric by Neela Ghoshal in The Daily Beast: http://thebea.st/12GoYa4
READ this report on Cameroon by Human Rights Watch: http://bit.ly/17NQ5UT
TAKE ACTION
Get angry and take action. If you can’t join us, write or email the Cameroon President, Paul Biya, via the Cameroon High Commission in London: [email protected] You can also phone the High Commission: 020 7727 0771 or fax them: 020 7792 9353
These are the four demands of Tuesday’s protest:
We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Eric Lembembe in Cameroon. The government of Cameroon should be held to account. We are urging:
1. An immediate investigation into the death of our fellow human rights activist.
2. The prosecution of all responsible.
3. The immediate release of all those in prison in Cameroon because of being LGBTI.
4. All LGBTI persons in Cameroon to be able to exercise their human rights like everybody else, including access to medical services without discrimination.
This is the website of the Cameroon High Commission in London: http://www.cameroonhighcommission.co.uk/
Further information:
Peter Tatchell and Susheila Juggapah
Peter Tatchell Foundation
Email: [email protected]