In a country where gay sex is punishable by up to 14 years in prison and where attacks on the LGBT community occur frequently, a solitary rainbow flag flapping in the wind just a stone's throw from the president's official residence in Nairobi serves as a small but symbolic mark of rebellion. Inside the building flying the flag, one of Kenya's leading LGBT rights organizations, the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC), is working on a case currently filed in the country's high court that could remove criminal punishment for adults who engage in homosexual activity altogether. It is the first time that anyone has directly challenged the ban, with lawyer and NGLHRC leader Eric Gitari saying he closed the office after filing the case over fears of a backlash from members of the public, but returned ten days later to find no threats or violence had taken place. Next month, proceedings in the High Court will begin, though the appeals process means it could take up to five years for an outcome. ...
No comments:
Post a Comment