Will you give them a voice?‏

Dear friends –

Words can’t describe what Nima and Ashkan have gone through, fleeing from Iran where they could be killed for being gay.

But words are what they need to convince the government of Australia that they deserve a safe home – away from the island of Nauru, where they have been shipped off by Australian authorities and where being gay is also a crime.

Unable to speak English, they rely on a local organisation to translate their plea and make their story heard.

More than a hundred All Out members have already donated to help pay for the interpreters that give Nima and Ashkan a voice and a fighting chance – can you chip in, too?

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Dear friends, Far away from your home – where you escaped for your life. Turned away from where you thought you’d be safe. Dumped on an island where people "like you" are harassed and beaten. On top of all of that – you have no voice. You don’t speak the language. No one can understand your cries for help. That’s what it’s like for Nima and Ashkan – gay refugees from Iran, who were turned away by Australian authorities and dumped on the nearby island of Nauru, where it’s illegal to be gay. They’re afraid to go outside, facing violence on the streets, and unable to speak English. Our partners at the Human Rights Law Centre have been working furiously to help Nima and Ashkan find safety in Australia. Part of that work means paying thousands of dollars in interpreter costs so that the incredible stories of refugees like Nima and Ashkan can be heard. But as a tiny organisation, those kinds of costs are taking a huge toll on their lifesaving work. Can you chip in today to help make sure Nima and Ashkan continue to have a voice? Your donation will help fund the interpreters that are vital for Nima and Ashkan and others like them to have their stories told. Stories of persecution and courage. Stories that could convince authorities that these refugees deserve a safe home. Already, nearly 30,000 All Out members have brought attention to Nima and Ashkan’s plight, demanding that their plea for asylum be accepted. Their story has been on newspapers and TV stations around the world. Our global outcry has brought the heat onto Australian authorities, who want to be seen as human rights leaders. Being able to hire good interpreters is a vital part of the work that groups like the Human Rights Law Centre do. It gives people like Nima and Ashkan the precious power of communication. It gives them the right to be understood by those who hold the power to grant them asylum. Chip in today to help make sure the Human Rights Law Centre can continue to provide interpreters to people like Nima and Ashkan. If we aren’t able to raise the $25,000 AUD needed to cover these growing interpreter costs, we’ll do all that we can to continue to support the Human Rights Law Centre and their vital work to bring Nima and Ashkan to safety. Thanks for going All Out, Matt, Sarah, Oscar, Kate, Leandro, and the rest of the All Out team.     SOURCES: Gay refugees on Nauru 'prisoners' in their home – Sydney Morning Herald, 4 March 2016 Backlash in Australia against plans to send asylum seekers to detention camps – The Guardian, 10 February 2016 Mardi Gras parade threatened to ban refugee advocates if they harassed Bill Shorten – The Guardian, 7 March 2016

SUPPORT ALL OUT All Out depends on small donations from members like you to keep going. Please chip in to support our movement for love and equality.

All Out is mobilising millions of people to build a world where no person will have to sacrifice their family or freedom, safety or dignity, because of who they are or who they love. This is a campaign of All Out Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organisation. Our mailing address is: All Out Action Fund 115 Fifth Ave New York, NY 10003 Copyright © 2016 All Out, All rights reserved.