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By Melanie Nathan, Feb 26, 2024.

African Human Rights Coalition mourns the devastating loss of our friend and colleague Carlos Fernandes, the Director of Associação Íris Angola.

Carlos Fernandes a beautiful human, a generous soul, has been taken too soon. His work as a leader to the LGBTQI+ community in Angola extended to all the help he provided for the safety of asylum seekers abroad, to those fleeing the dangers for LGBTQI+ people in Angola. He was so wonderfully helpful to us at African Human Rights Coalition and will be so sorely missed – a true advocate and hero.

We have not heard official cause of death but we are told he was assassinated – based on his SOGIESC and the work for his community. While we do wait for officials to confirm the cause of his death, we do not trust the police or government to reveal the truth.  We are told by people on the ground that the police are doing nothing. We cannot confirm this yet. Police still mistreat LGBTQI+ people and the Angolan government needs to do much more to protect this community, especially as they are no longer considered criminal. We urge the Angolan government to conduct a full investigate and to tell the truth, ensuring equal justice for all to include our brother, friend and colleague, Carlos.

Decriminalization homosexuality often causes the worst of backlashes against LGBTQI+ communities. So much more work is needed to rid countries and communities of homophobia, especially after decriminalization. With the recent death of others in Luanda, ANGOLA, IT IS PROOF that decriminalizing is not enough to ensure safety for LGBTQI+ people – especially where mobs and vigilante groups feel entitled to hunt and harm LGBTI people.

Anyone dealing with asylum seekers abroad and such cases from foreign countries MUST note that it is not enough to say a country is safe simply because criminalization is revoked or not prosecuted. It is imperative to enlist an expert witnesses in asylum cases to ensure people are not deported to Angola or other countries, simply because the country has decriminalized.

May his memory be a blessing. And may his killers be brought to justice – so he will rest in peace.

Condolences to Associação Íris Angola, to the Angolan LGBTQI community in Angola and Diaspora and his family and friends who loved him as well as Mari and Cheyenne our AHRC ambassadors who knew him so well. He will be so sorely missed.

We are hearing of a recent uptick in killings from Luanda, Angola.

Associação Íris Angola

Official Release

It is with deep sadness and dismay that the Iris Angola Association informs the physical passing of our Director General, brother, father, friend and leader of the LGBTQIP+ movement, Carlos Fernandes.

Carlos was found lifeless at his residence, today (26), in circumstances to be confirmed by authorities. Your departure leaves a huge void in our community and a deep grief in our hearts.

Location of obituary to be confirmed in the next few hours…

“Leader, until another day! Thank you for everything

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