Murder of Openly Gay Imam in South Africa
Tragic Death of Muhsin Hendricks
Johannesburg: Muhsin Hendricks, considered the world’s first openly gay imam, was shot dead on Saturday near the southern city of Gqeberha, South African police said.
The Assassination
The imam, who ran a mosque intended as a safe haven for gay and other marginalized Muslims, was in a car with another person when a vehicle stopped in front of them and blocked their exit, police said. "Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle," the Eastern Cape force said in a statement. "Thereafter they fled the scene, and the driver noticed that Hendricks, who was seated at the back of the vehicle was shot and killed."
Investigation Ongoing
A police spokeswoman confirmed to AFP the authenticity of a video on social media that purported to show a targeted killing in Bethelsdorp near Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth. The motive for the murder is unknown and forms part of the ongoing investigation, police said, urging anybody with information to come forward.
International Condemnation
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) denounced the killing. "The ILGA World family is in deep shock at the news of the murder of Muhsin Hendricks, and calls on authorities to thoroughly investigate what we fear may be a hate crime," executive director Julia Ehrt said in a statement.
Background on Muhsin Hendricks
Hendricks, involved in various LGBTQ advocacy groups, came out as gay in 1996. He ran the Al-Ghurbaah mosque at Wynberg near his birthplace Cape Town. The mosque provides "a safe space in which queer Muslims and marginalized women can practise Islam", its website states.
Previous Threats
Hendricks, the subject of a 2022 documentary called "The Radical", had previously alluded to threats against him. But he insisted that "the need to be authentic" was "greater than the fear to die".
South Africa’s High Murder Rate
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with some 28,000 murders in the year to February 2024, according to police data.
Conclusion
The murder of Muhsin Hendricks is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by LGBTQ individuals and marginalized communities in South Africa and around the world. His legacy will live on through the work of his mosque and the advocacy groups he was involved with.
FAQs
- Who was Muhsin Hendricks?
- Considered the world’s first openly gay imam
- What was the circumstances of his death?
- Shot and killed in a car near Gqeberha, South Africa
- What is the motive for the murder?
- Unknown, under investigation
- What has been the response to his death?
- Condemnation from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and calls for authorities to investigate what may be a hate crime.