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Three more people have been arrested in Kenya in an investigation into the murder of an LGBTQ rights activist that has sparked nationwide protests and international outrage, police said Sunday.
The body of 25-year-old designer and model Edwin Chiloba was found Wednesday in a metal trunk on the side of a road in the western Rift Valley, about 40 kilometers from the town of Eldoret. A police source, who requested anonymity, said the victim was “tortured” and then “strangled”.
On Friday, police announced they had arrested a freelance photographer who was allegedly a longtime friend of the victim. Three more suspects were arrested Saturday after the young designer’s death in connection with his role, police said.
“We have three new suspects in custody,” said Peter Kimrwo, chief investigator for Eldoret’s Criminal Investigation Service.
“I can confirm that we have found a vehicle that we believe was used to dispose of the bodies. It will be analyzed,” he told reporters in Eldoret.
The trunk may have been thrown out of the car, according to the first element of the investigation.
READ MORE: Body of LGBT activist found on roadside in Kenya
According to The Star, an autopsy is scheduled for Monday before the funeral in a few days.
In Kenya, like many African countries, LGBTQ people face insecurity and discrimination in a predominantly Christian, conservative society where homosexuality is taboo.
Same-sex sexual relations are punishable by law with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
The killing of a young LGBTQ activist has drawn strong international condemnation.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Saturday he was “disturbed” and expressed “deep sadness”. He expressed “solidarity with LGBTQI+ activists around the world” and stressed the “urgent need to redouble our efforts to protect them”.
Also Read: Tunisian Court Drops Case Against LGBTQ Rights Activists
African Union (AU) Human Rights Commissioner Solomon Ayere Delso also condemned the killings as “the result of hate” and urged Nairobi to conduct a “transparent, thorough and expeditious investigation” to bring those responsible to justice. asked.
He also urged Kenya, like other AU member states, to “respect all vulnerable members of society, especially those who are perceived as different from others on the basis of their sexuality or gender identity. , called for steps to be taken to enable them to live disability-free lives.The threat of violent attacks.
The Kenyan Human Rights Commission said on Friday: “The continued escalation of violence targeting LGBTQ Kenyans is truly alarming.
“Every day, the rights of LGBTQ people are violated and there are no real consequences for perpetrators,” it denounces, urging police to “promptly investigate and ensure the killers are apprehended and prosecuted.” bottom.
The LGBTQ Feminist Forum in western Kenya, where Edwin Chirova lived, emphasized that Edwin Chirova “used fashion to deconstruct gender and promote the rights of marginalized communities”, citing murder and murder. He demanded full light on the body’s concealment.
In April, another LGBTQ activist was found murdered in Kenya.
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