Dear IRAP Supporters:
Thank you so much for your rapid attention to the dire matter of LGBTI individuals currently being hunted down and massacred in Iraq. The speed with which our video, Ahmed’s Story, spread through the internet was wonderful and generous. It was call for help to support our work to protect these Iraqis that was heard loud and clear.
However, the unfortunately flip side of this was that the video spread so fast that IRAP and Ahmed began to worry about the security of the man featured in it, and, in particular, his family members who are still not out of harm’s way.
As such, we have made the difficult decision to remove the video from the internet. While a personal narrative from a persecuted individuals certainly makes a more compelling case for the emergency nature of these killings, our number one concern is the safety of those with whom we work, and for this reason, we have made the decision halt the spread of this video.
We hope that you will see this decision as underscoring the desperate and dangerous situation of LGBTI individuals in Iraq, extending even to their extended family members. To us, this is further evidence of the seriousness of the current situation, and while we can no longer spread the word by video, we hope you will continue to spread the word by editorial and other means. For more stories, from non-LGBTI individuals whose families have relocated to safety, please visit our YouTube page.
Please continue to pass on this message!
Sincerely,
Becca Heller, Director
Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project
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