Dear Friends,
Roger Jean-Claude Mbédé just spent a year prison in Cameroon for sending this SMS to another man:I’m very much in love w/u.
Roger has a new hearing on Monday, but he’s facing two more years in a jail where he faced daily abuse from guards and horrific health conditions. Homosexuality is still illegal in Cameroon, but President Paul Biya and the Minister of Justice could put a stop to this right now by freeing Roger and declaring a moratorium on this discrimanatory law. President Biya has been swayed in the past by international pressure and knows that Cameroon’s reputation is at stake.
We have just a few days to raise a massive outcry and keep Roger from going back to jail. Will you sign the petition now calling on President Biya and the Minister of Justice to free Roger and end Cameroon’s anti-gay laws?
This problem is bigger than just Roger. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Cameroon major are facing a major crackdown right now – more than 20 people have been arrested in the last year because they’re suspected of “homosexual behavior.”
Even Roger’s own family have turned their backs on him in disgust, leaving him fighting for his freedom alone. He told us, “Now, my family says I’m dangerous and they can not live with a homosexual. Cameroonians know who I am now. I don’t know how I will even be able to go back to school and get a job.”
We can’t let homophobia and prejudice decide Roger’s fate. The law’s not with him, his family’s not with him. If 50,000 of us speak out before Monday, Cameroon’s President and Minister of Justice will know they need to act. Will you sign the petition and call on them to free Roger and end Cameroon’s anti-gay laws?
Thanks for going All Out.
Best,
Andre, Aviya, Guillaume, Hayley, Jeremy, Joe, Leandro, Marisa, Mike, Pablo, Sara, Tile, Wesley, and the rest of the All Out team
P.S. – After you sign, please share Roger’s story with your friends by forwarding this email or on Facebook. Right now, with so many eyes on Roger’s case, each additional voice can make a huge difference.
All Out is bringing people together in every corner of the planet and of every identity – lesbian, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender and all that’s between and beyond – to build a world in which everyone can live freely and be embraced for who they are.
Our mailing address is:
Purpose Foundation
224 Centre St
New York, NY10013
Copyright © 2012 AllOut.org, All rights reserved
Related articles
- Prison for texting ‘I love you’? Petition pleads, ‘No!’ (76crimes.com)
- Demand Cameroon Drop Criminal Charges for Gay Text Message (bilerico.com)
- Cameroon Group Hosts ‘Gay Hate Day’ (ontopmag.com)
- Political asylum seeker fears torture and detention if deported (guardian.co.uk)
4 Comments
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It’s things like this that make me wonder why international organizations like the UN even exist, if they’re not going to step to correct such a gross violation of human rights.
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The UN has been a joke ever since it’s creation. It was meant to end all wars, yet, in the years since it’s foundation it has stopped none without using war to battle war. I guess their idea is you fight fire with fire.
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“I guess their idea is you fight fire with fire.”
And that’s assume they even bother to show up.
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But of course, that’s the main issue to begin with, and thier peace keeping is a joke to cruel to make anyone laugh, just remember their “Dutch” stunt at Srebrenica.
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