Six Men Convicted of Killing LGBTQ+ Activist and USAID Worker

Six men were sentenced to death in Bangladesh over the killing of local LGBTQ+ rights activist and USAID worker, Xulhaz Mannan. The activist and a friend, actor Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, were hacked to death with a machete in April 2016.

The convicted men, accused of being part of an Islamist militant group, were convicted of murdering the two friends in a spate of murders targeting academics, writers, and activists that were expressing critical views of Islam, according to The New York Times.

In response to the verdict, USAID Administrator and former U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power released a statement remembering Mannan and his work for the agency.

"Xulhaz was a vibrant, selfless, and loving person, a fierce champion of human rights, and a courageous advocate for equality, pluralism, and inclusion for all people--including ethnic, religious, gender, and sexual minorities," Power said. "He was targeted and killed for his activism and dedication. He exemplified the best of Bangladesh--and USAID feels privileged that he was part of our team."

She added that every year USAID honors the activist through the Xulhaz Mannan Inclusive Development Award. It's an award that recognizes a staff person who shares Mannan's "spirit of inclusion" in USAID programs.

The tribunal said that the six men were part of Ansar al-Islam, a militant group that is the regional arm of Al Qaeda, according to CNN.

"They decided to slay the victims for their involvement in gay rights activism," a special anti-terrorism tribunal in Dhaka said on Tuesday while announcing the verdicts. "All the convicts had the same intention. They wanted to prevent them from practicing their freedom and create fear among the other people from expressing their opinion."

Four men were in custody, but two remain on the run. One of those two men, Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, has been accused by the Bangladeshi Army of being part of a coup attempt in 2012, reported The Times.

Earlier in April 2016, Mannan tried to organize a Pride Parade for youths. However, authorities canceled the event due to threats of violence.

The convicted murders tricked Mannan into allowing them into his apartment complex by acting like mail carriers. The packages they carried held their weapons.

Mannan began a Bangladeshi LGBTQ+ magazine in 20014 called Roopbaan -- which comes from a Bengali folk character and also means a fabulous person.

"We envision a world [where] the Bangladeshi LGBT+ community's freedom to love is socially accepted and their human rights are guaranteed," the magazine's vision stated.

"This verdict is a strong message for the militant group who are operational in Bangladesh," Golam Sharuar Khan Zakir, the public prosecutor in the case, said, according to The Times. "We are happy with the verdict. We believe that justice for Xulhaz and Tonoy is served."

A lawyer for the defendants said they would appeal the conviction.

Same-sex relationships are illegal in Bangladesh, and LGBTQ+ people are still marginalized.

"We are happy with the judgment. At least after a long time, we get justice," Shahanur Islam, an LGBTQ+ rights activist, told CNN. "But as the LGBT activist as well as anti-death penalty activist, I always prefer a life sentence ... instead of [the] death penalty."

"Now we have to see what step the government takes. Two culprits are still absconded. Now our expectation the government will take prompt action for execution of judgment after arresting the absconded culprits," Islam said.