Malaysian LGBT rights activist Numan Afifi questioned by police
Numan Afifi (Credit: Numan Afifi/Facebook)
Malaysian LGBT+ rights activist Numan Afifi is being questioned by police over a speech highlighting discrimination against the queer and trans community.
Afifi, who founded a LGBT+ rights group in Malaysia, raised concerns alongside a coalition of human rights organisations at a United Nations conference in Geneva last month.
“The statement that I read was made by a coalition of 12 Malaysian organisations that work on gender identity and sexual orientation,” Afifi told local news source The Star.
“I will not bow down to these acts to harass or intimidate me as a human rights defender in Malaysia.”
—Numan Afifi
“We commended the government for accepting one recommendation, which is the anti-bullying campaign in schools, but raised concerns that Malaysia has rejected the rest of the 10 recommendations on sexual orientation and gender identity,” Afifi added.
Afifi told PinkNews he was disappointed a human rights report in the UN could be grounds for a police investigation but added: “Our community should remain resolute and it has motivated me to continue campaigning for LGBT rights.”
Malaysian LGBT rights activist Numan Afifi. (Credit: Numan Afifi/Facebook)
Afifi wrote a statement on Facebook, where he said police asked him to assist their investigation over a speech that was made last month.
Speaking to local news Afifi was adamant not to let the investigation stop his LGBT+ rights campaigning. “I will not bow down to these acts to harass or intimidate me as a human rights defender in Malaysia,” he said.
Afifi told PinkNews police have not yet updated him on the investigation.
LGBT rights activist Numan Afifi condemned anti-gay violence
Afifi made headlines late last year when he shared a viral video showing two young men being beaten up for allegedly having sex in a car in Malaysia.
The 96-second viral video appeared to show two shirtless men being ordered to leave their car by a group of unknown assailants wearing hi-viz jackets before being beaten up and attacked.
Afifi shared the video to his Twitter page and wrote: “THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!, I categorically condemn this anti-gay violence and call on the authority to investigate on this hate crime.”
Last month the country’s tourism minister was roundly mocked after reportedly claiming there are no gay people in Malaysia.
