Rasan Organization, a small local NGO based in Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan, was sued on February 22, 2021, by a homophobic MP because they advocate for LGBT+ rights publicly. Aside from the lawsuit, the MP started preaching hate crimes and spreading misinformation about the LGBT+ community on local and national TV. These misinformations caused outrage and led to queer activists becoming a target by extremists. The MP had collected signatures which he submitted along with his lawsuit which requested Rasan's office to be closed and their license be revoked.

Right now, the organization is struggling to continue its work in the region and needs your support to continue. We need to collect as many signatures as possible and take them to the DNGO (Directorate of Non-Governmental Organizations) to show them that we want Rasan to continue their advocacy for the LGBT+ community. 

Why is this important and why should Rasan continue existing? It is currently the only organization physically present in Iraq that publicly supports the LGBT+ community. If they were stopped, it would make the job of activists and other organizations advocating for the cause much harder. But if we showed them that we will not stay silent and presist on the organization being allowed to continue its work, we show others advocating for this cause that they have a support system and encourage them to continue their work.

Let's show them that we care and let's not allow them to diminish the voices of the most marginalized group of Kurdish society any further! PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AND SHARE IT WITH YOUR NETWORK TO HELP THE KURDISH LGBT+ MOVEMENT.