Brian Williamson

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Brian Williamson (d. June 5, 2004) was a notable Jamaican Gay rights activist, co-founder of the Jamaican forum for lesbians and gays, J-Flag. He was known for personally housing and looking after gay people in Jamaica, who suffered severe discrimination.

He was murdered with a machete, suffering seventy stab wounds to neck and face - but Jamaican police maintain that the killing was done by robbers, and was not motivated by homophobia or hatred of Williamson's work. Homosexuality is outlawed in Jamaica and there is little or no public support for gay rights. Police indifference to assaults on homosexuals have led to many gay Jamaican men to seek asylum in Britain.

(NOTE: Reportedly, the first Jamaican man to win sexual orientation-based asylum was in New York in 1998.)

Brian Williamson's murderer reportedly gets life in prison:

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060521/news/news7.html

For additional information on this murder, click on the link below to view US Dept of State Country Report on Jamaica: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61733.htm