A renowned leading LGBTQ+ activist, Aminata Kanu, 24, was declared wanted by the Sierra Leone police on Monday, August 15, 2022, after she publicly disclosed and discussed her sexuality, her lesbian partner, and plans for a peaceful LGBTQ rights match on a popular radio program, “Insai Salon, on 94.7 FM.
Sources close to the investigation reveal that Aminata has been vocal about her sexuality since the age of sixteen, which led her parents to force her into early marriage.
According to the Sierra Leone police media relations officer Brima Kamara, who started at a press conference, “Aminata has been vocal about her sexuality on different media houses and threatening to lead another unauthorized LGBTQ protest march, it is forbidden by law in Sierra Leone.” He further stated that investigations also led to the belief that Aminata was also the co-founder and mastermind behind the secret LGBTQ organization, which led to the January 2021 protest march that led to the destruction of properties and multiple injuries to innocent people.
So far, the police have arrested twelve members of the Sierra Leone LGBTQ+ community.
Via WhatsApp, newspaper reporter Issa Koroma managed to interview Aminata Kanu, who is currently on the run, fearing for her life. According to Aminata, she has been receiving death threats from both her parent and the community people since she opened up publicly in a radio interview about her sexuality and plans to fight for the rights and freedom of the LGBTQ+ community.
Aminata also stated, “I have been brutally beaten by the community people uncountable times, even before the viral radio interview on 94.7 FM, and I sustained multiple injuries; my partner died due to injuries sustained from the brutal beating. Giving up wasn’t even an option in this fight; the death threats from my father, family members, and community people and the warranty issued by the Sierra Leone police got me worried about my safety”. Most of my LGBTQ+ friends got arrested; some escaped. We are alone in this fight; human rights organizations are doing nothing, even though we have sought their assistance several times. She added.
However, one of the country’s Human Rights groups, Right Way International tremendously condemned the violence against the LGBTQ+ community Sierra Leone remains an unsafe environment for LGBTQ+ individuals. Same-sex relationships are criminalized under Section 61 of the Public Order Act, and those identified as LGBTQ+ face harsh legal and social consequences.
Beyond the threat of arrest, LGBTQ+ individuals in Sierra Leone often endure public humiliation, violence, and even death threats due to deeply ingrained prejudices reinforced by religious and cultural beliefs.
For Aminata, the relentless harassment and threats of violence have forced her into hiding, a stark reminder of the dangerous realities faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Sierra Leone.
