WARNING: WE ARE URGING LGBTI REFUGEES IN KENYA TO READ OUR ADVISORY BELOW AND CONSIDER REFRAINING FROM PROTESTS ANYWHERE IN KENYA AT THIS TIME
WE ARE URGING POTENTIAL FUNDERS OF PROTESTS TO NOTE THIS ADVISORY
To ALL refugees in Kenya: Please note that protests, with or without permission of police or authorities, are very dangerous for the following reasons: 1. It is likely it will lead to violence, even if not fault of refugee, potentially resulting in serious injuries 2. It could lead to arrests even if a legal protest 3. There is no bail money to help people out of jail 4. It could lead to dangerous exposure through public outing as LGBTI 5. It could delay your resettlement process 6. It could result in cancellation or denials of your resettlement
7. It could cause problems for the entire LGBTQI Refugee Program
8. It could lead to safety issues for Kenya's non-refugee LGBTI community
9. It could lead to conflict with fellow refugees who have issued their own advisories noting their opposition to protests at this time
*NOTE: African Human Rights Coalition believes in ALL PEOPLE'S rights to Peaceful Protest. And it is with great sadness that we are compelled to post the above warning. It is after very serious deliberation and consideration that we have done so, placing a risk versus result assessment, leading to a weight in favor of what is in the best interests of the individual persons of concern as well as the collective interests of the larger refugee and Kenyan LGBTQI communities.
