Promised Escape, Gay Kabul Man is Kidnapped and Raped by Taliban

There was a preview of what LGBTQ+ life in Afghanistan could be like under the Taliban this week when a gay Kabul man was tricked by someone on social media who promised him a route of escape from the country. The unnamed victim, named Hanan to protect his identity, had been talking to a man on social media for three weeks before agreeing to meet him., ITV News reported.

Instead his contact was a member of the Taliban, and when he went to the destination there was the contact and another man.

"Two people raped him, they beat him, and then demanded his father's number so they could tell him his son was gay," ITV News wrote.

Hunan survived, but lives in fear of humiliation and even death at the hands of the Taliban.

"In Taliban-controlled�Afghanistan, this is the reality for�LGBT+�people living in the country," wrote ITV.

This despite claims of the political organization becoming Taliban 2.0 adopting less repressive policies.

"They are trying to tell the world 'we are changed and we don't have problems with women's rights or human rights' - but they are lying," Artemis Akbary, an Afghan LGBT+ rights activist based in Turkey told ITV. "The Taliban hasn't changed, because their ideology hasn't change."

Not that the country was in the forefront of LGBTQ rights.

"Afghanistan before the Taliban took back control was still an unsafe place for LGBT+ people, with those caught in same sex relationships facing prison," reported ITV. "But in recent years, Artemis says, authorities began paying less attention - with queer people even featured in some supportive news and media coverage."

"With the arrival of the Taliban, everything will change," Akbary said.

With the airlift over, the LGBTQ+ Afghan population faces a grim future. "Things will only get worse" Kimahli Powell, chief executive at Rainbow Road, told ITV. Rainbow Road and Stonewall are charities who have helped in the evacuation of LGBTQ people from Afghanistan, providing a list of LGBT+ Afghans within reach of Kabul airport and evacuation out of the country.

"All signs indicate that people will face real danger in the weeks and months to come. The consistent message from those individuals is that they are in fear of their lives, but what happens if they cannot escape?"

"afghanlgbt," An Afghan LGBTQ group posted an IG message of how they are seeking to support those left behind.

In the post they write in part:

"According to our research, Afghan LGBT people are in serious danger due to the Taliban's control of power. Many LGBT people were executed by the Taliban between 1996 and 2001. Taliban are very violent with LGBTQ people. We received many messages that many people in the queer community have lost their homes due to the war and live on the streets without shelter. Many queer people do not have access to food, medicine and basic necessities.

"Also, due to the increase in violence, many people are trying to leave Afghanistan but can not afford it.

"We have prepared an account to collect your donations in collaboration with the Canadian based nonprofit Queerkade (�@queerkadeh�) Your assistance will reach Afghans who had to flee Afghanistan to save their lives and those who have not yet been able to leave.

"Your kind donations will be used to provide food and shelter or, if possible, to relocate them from Afghanistan to a safe country.
You can see the link for help in our Instagram bio."