
The Taliban’s August 2021 takeover of Afghanistan has led to international concerns for the safety and livelihood of vulnerable populations, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) Afghans. Same-sex activity was already criminalized and punishable by death in the country before the Taliban took control, but the new regime’s mandate to rule with Sharia law makes the fate of LGBTQI Afghans even more precarious than before. An exodus of LGBTQI refugees has commenced and will likely expand over the next few weeks and months.
UPDATES
On October 22nd, HRC — along with the Council for Global Equality, Immigration Equality, IRAP, Rainbow Railroad, and ORAM — submitted to the White House a letter along with more than 10,000 signatures gathered on the 10-point appeal below. Read the press release here.
Watch our online panel discussion about the current crisis facing LGBTQI+ Afghans and the urgent need for action by the Biden administration and others to protect them.
To add your name to our urgent appeal to protect LGBTQI Afghan refugees, sign here. Your signature will help save lives.
HRC wrote an issue brief highlighting the precarious situation of LGBTQI people in Afghanistan, detailing the background and current landscape.
HRC — along with the Council for Global Equality, Immigration Equality, IRAP, Rainbow Railroad, and ORAM — laid out ten policy recommendations for the Biden Administration, designed to improve the refugee and asylum process for LGBTQI Afghans.
LGBTQI Afghans’ lives are at risk under the new Taliban regime. @POTUS must take action to ease passage for LGBTQI Afghans seeking refuge. Sign our 10-point appeal to the administration here:https://t.co/XqC5T2spOV
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 9, 2021
HRC has launched a major multi-faceted campaign to generate public support for the 10-Point Appeal. Along with the letter to President Biden, the campaign includes a press release, issue brief, a full-scale membership mobilization, social media and more.
We joined leading advocacy organizations to urge @POTUS to expedite passage and safely resettle LGBTQ+ refugees who face imminent harm in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.@RepCicilline brought our letter up in questioning to @SecBlinken this week. pic.twitter.com/aOPeGxjm13
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 14, 2021
Despite the humanitarian crisis that is ensuing, there many ways you can support the thousands of Afghan refugees arriving in the United States.
The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ community.
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