African Gay Human Rights Defender honored with world human rights award in Geneva

PRESS RELEASE

11 October 2011

African GayHuman Rights Defender honored

with worldhuman rights award in Geneva

OnThursday 13 October KashaJacqueline Nabagesera will be presented with theMartin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) during a ceremony in VictoriaHall in Geneva, starting at 18h00. Kasha is the 20th Laureate of this prestigious award.

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera is the founding directorof Freedom and Roam Uganda, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)rights organization. The situation of LGBT community is extremely difficult anddangerous in many countries like Uganda where LGBT people are threatened,imprisoned, attacked and even murdered on the simple ground of their sexualorientation. On 26 January one of her colleagues, gay activist David Kato, was murdered following thepublication of a “gay list” by the Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone calling fortheir hanging; on this list Kasha Jacqueline’s name also appears. Kasha continuesto find the courage to appear on national and international media at the riskof her life. The Chairman of the Martin Ennals Award for Human RightsDefenders, Hans Thoolen, described Kasha as “anexceptional woman of rare courage, fighting under death threat againsthomophobia”. During the one-hour ceremony, exclusive and penetrating images shot in Uganda willdemonstrate the work of the Laureate. Djenka Flow will perform African music inher honour. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights willpresent the award. The event is co-organised with the City of Geneva, the human rights capital of the world, and the GenevaCity Councillor, Sandrine Salerno, will conclude the evening.

“The award for Kasha is astark reminder of the serious threats that those defending the rights oflesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders face in so many parts of the world.They deserve our active support”, said Gerald Staberock, Secretary Generalof the OMCT, the organisation hosting the MEA.

The MEA, a unique collaboration among 10 of theworld's leading human rights organizations, is the award of the whole humanrights movement and sometimes referred to as the Nobel prize for humanrights. The JURY is composed of the following NGOs: AmnestyInternational, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federationfor Human Rights, World Organization Against Torture, International Commissionof Jurists, German Diakonie, International Service for Human Rights, Front Lineand HURIDOCS.

For previouslaureates and Patrons of the MEA, see: www.martinennalsaward.org the newlydesigned website.

A pressconference will take place on 13 October 2011 at 11h00 a.m. at Palais Eynard inGeneva

For furtherinformation please contact: LuisMarreiros, Coordinator MEA

Tel. +41 22 809 4925, marreiros@martinennalsaward.org

For use of the filmimages : please contact the True Heroes Foundation info@trueheroesfilms.org