Threats, forced evictions, anti-LGBTI protests. The security situation of LGBTI people in the City of Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo leaves much to be desired, according to the advocacy group Action for the Fight Against Social Injustice in Bukavu (ALCIS).

ALCIS works to defend the rights of sex workers, LGBTI people and people living with HIV.

These are the observations of ALCIS about life in the City of Bukavu:

When violations of the human rights of LGBTI people occur, they’re met with total indifference on the part of the authorities — police, politicians and administrators.

During the current quarter (April-June 2017), LGBTI people in Bukavu have repeatedly become victims of hate crimes that demonstrate the crushing homophobia of their fellow citizens.

Intolerance of sexual orientation and gender identity, whether real or perceived, has led many LGBTI people to flee, while those who remain are faced with kidnappings, arbitrary arrests, daily intimidation, and loss of their freedom of movement and association. Many go into hiding, forced into deplorable levels of social isolation. They have to hide all day to avoid witch hunts, police raids and barbarities from other residents. When they go out in the evening or at night, LGBTI people again find themselves victims of men in uniform, including police officers on night patrol, whosubject them to inhuman treatment. Read more via 76 Crimes