Nigeria
Ibrahim
Ibrahim (not his real name) says he has been imprisoned and tortured because of his sexual orientation. He is gay. He does his best to support other young gay men who have suffered persecution through his small group Hope Alive Initiative.
Since Nigeria passed a harsh law criminalising homosexuality throughout the country, arrests of gay people have multiplied, advocates have been forced to go underground, some people fearful of the law have sought asylum overseas and news media demands for a crackdown have flourished.
In a northern Nigerian courts have sentenced numerous people to flogging for being gay. Some consider them lucky. The penalty for gay sex under local Islamic law is death by stoning.
Ishmel & Gabriel
Ishmel (left) and Gabriel (right) (not their real names) are gay.
In December 2013 they were taken from their homes by a vigilante group aligned to Bauchi City Sharia Courts who suspected them of being gay. They slapped and beat them with electric cables. They were held in prison for over 40 days and made several appearances at the Sharia Court.
They were lashed 15 times with a horse whip but then acquitted of committing homosexual acts as there were no witnesses to the crime. Sodomy is punishable by death under Sharia Law but requires four witnesses.
Since Nigeria passed a harsh law criminalising homosexuality throughout the country, arrests of gay people have multiplied, advocates have been forced to go underground, some people fearful of the law have sought asylum overseas and news media demands for a crackdown have flourished.
In a northern Nigerian courts have sentenced numerous people to flogging for being gay. Some consider them lucky. The penalty for gay sex under local Islamic law is death by stoning.
Buje
Buje (not his real name) is gay. In December 2013 he was taken from his home by a vigilante group aligned to Bauchi City Sharia Courts who suspected him of being gay. They slapped him and beat him with electric cables.
He was held in prison for over 40 days. He made several appearances at the Sharia Court. After being beaten in prison he confessed to committing homosexual acts. He was lashed 15 times with a horse whip as a punishment. Sodomy is punishable by death under Sharia Law but requires four witnesses.
Since Nigeria passed a harsh law criminalising homosexuality throughout the country, arrests of gay people have multiplied, advocates have been forced to go underground, some people fearful of the law have sought asylum overseas and news media demands for a crackdown have flourished.
In a northern Nigerian courts have sentenced numerous people to flogging for being gay. Some consider them lucky. The penalty for gay sex under local Islamic law is death by stoning.