On January 29th I put up a post about Brenda Namigadde, a woman from Uganda who was living in England, and at risk of being deported back to her home country despite the persecution and death threats she would face there because of her sexual orientation. All Out, an LGBTQA global organization was fighting for her rights, and set up a petition to keep her from being deported.
Well now, thanks to global pressure and in part to everyone who signed the petition, Brenda has received help from the government and has a shot at survival.
Two weeks ago we reached out to you and shared the story of Brenda, a Ugandan lesbian fighting a deportation order in the UK, which would send her back to the homophobic violence she fled eight years before.(1) Now, thanks in large part to a massive international display of people power, Brenda has been released from the immigration removal center and is working with her legal team on a fresh asylum claim.(2) Together, we made a huge difference!
In less than a week, over 60,000 people from around the world signed a letter to the UK Home Secretary, we created an international news story, and scores marched in London. Next, hundreds of All Out members in the UK pressured their representatives in Parliament to sign on to a motion sponsored by Brenda’s MP, Andy Slaughter, asking the Immigration Minister to intervene in Brenda’s case. Over fifty MPs followed suit.(3)
After being literally pulled off the plane to Uganda only days ago after a last minute injunction that halted her deportation(4), a judge in the UK has just ruled that the evidence merits a new judicial review of Brenda’s asylum claim. She now has a new shot at freedom from persecution, a huge community of supporters, members of parliament, and legal advocates who are standing by her side. Brenda’s asylum case is finally getting the fair review it deserves.
We will continue to stand with Brenda, recognizing that her harrowing story is just one of many in a broader push for freedom, dignity and equality. We came together – straight, gay, lesbian, transgender and all that’s between and beyond – and it made a real difference. But we have a lot more work to do if we want to realize our vision of a world where everyone can live freely and be accepted for who they are.
Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for supporting people of all genders and sexual orientations’ right to express themselves safely in the world.
Great! We can contribute!
Yay for queers! Thanks Elly.