A Kenyan man linked to LGBTQ activism is facing deportation from Sweden after authorities rejected his asylum claim, raising concerns among rights advocates about his safety if returned home.
Information shared by community members and relayed to local authorities indicates that the man who previously lived in Nakuru County before disappearing in 2022 may face an immediate risk of violence if he returns to Kenya.
Sources within his community allege that he has received explicit death threats from members of his family and others in the area.
While living in Kenya, he was reportedly involved in advocacy and online discussions related to LGBTQ issues, a subject that remains highly sensitive and controversial in parts of the country.
Human rights groups say individuals perceived to be associated with LGBTQ activism, whether through confirmed involvement or allegation, can face harassment, mob attacks and other forms of violence, including extrajudicial punishment.
Members of his family have publicly disowned him and, according to reports, issued statements expressing intense hostility. These remarks allegedly include threatening language that human rights experts warn could incite violence and place him in serious danger if he is publicly identified upon returning home.
There are also increasing concerns about the safety of a minor reportedly connected to the case, amid suggestions that hostility toward him could extend to other members of his family.
Legal analysts note that international law prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face a genuine risk of death or persecution.
Human rights organisations are urging Swedish immigration authorities not to deport the man to Kenya and to prioritise the protection of life.
“This is not merely a legal issue,” one advocate said. “It is a test of whether the Swedish Migration Department will deport him despite his well-founded fear of persecution due to his involvement with the LGBTQ community.”
In 2023, Kenya drew international attention after the introduction of a proposed Family Protection Bill that aimed to further tighten already severe penalties for same-sex relations. The Bill also sought to restrict LGBTQ inclusive education and curb freedom of expression.
Closely resembling Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, it was widely seen as a reaction to a Supreme Court decision permitting the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to register legally as a non-governmental organisation under a name that included the words “gay” and “lesbian.”
Meanwhile, members of the LGBTQI+ community have reported ongoing harassment by police, forced body examinations intended to “prove” same-sex activity, and public abuse both online and in person.
Some individuals say they have been denied access to healthcare services or evicted from rental housing because of their sexual orientation.
