My home country of the Gambia is under the control of a brutal dictator,Yahya Jammeh. He is infamous for imprisoning and torturing people suspected of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Just recently, he publicly announced he would slit the throat of anyone he thinks might be homosexual.

The United States and European Union have repeatedly condemned his violent policies. Yet Coca-Cola -- which operates a huge bottling facility in the country -- still does business with this vicious dictator, paying taxes to him and propping up the economy. As a major employer in The Gambia, Coca-Cola could do more than anyone to put pressure on Jammeh’s regime by threatening to shut down their operations.

Tell Coca-Cola to cease all production in The Gambia until President Jammeh’s murderous LGBT policies have been reversed.

Coca-Cola cares about gay rights. For nearly a decade, they have received a top rating from the Human Rights Campaign for workplace policies for LGBT associates. So why are they turning a blind eye to the kidnapping, imprisonment, and torture of innocent Gambians, making money and taking tax breaks from the Gambian government while things get steadily worse?

Coca-Cola could protect LGBT Gambians by threatening to leave if Jammeh’s oppression continues. Join me in telling Coca-Cola to end their silence, and act now.

I know all too well that President Jammeh does not make empty threats -- I used to work in his administration, until I fled his increasingly oppressive, violent regime. Last year, President Jammeh signed a law that could lead to life imprisonment for gay Gambians, and immediately began rounding up, torturing, and sentencing people he suspected of being gay. If he says he will slit the throats of LGBT Gambians, he might start tomorrow. Or today.

Let’s make it clear to Coca-Cola that they are seriously damaging their reputation as a company that celebrates diversity by ignoring the kidnapping, torture, and murder threats of LGBT people in a country where they do business.

Sign my petition to tell Coca-Cola to stop doing business in my home country while LGBT people live under the fear of lifetime imprisonment, torture, and murder.