#freefadnfifi (August 2017)
"#freefadnfifi
#twosingaporeansinuae
Tonight, the "biggest event in the history of combat sports" happens in Las Vegas between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor but across the world in Abu Dhabi, two Singaporeans, Fadli and Fifi, are beginning to fight a more ominous legal battle as they face charges and jail time for "wearing women's clothes". Fadli is a fashion photographer who was travelling for work while Fifi, who is transgender, was accompanying him. Cross-dressing, homosexuality and being transgender are crimes in the UAE.
In protest against these charges and in solidarity with Fadli and Fifi, I stood outside the Embassy of the UAE in London this morning and boxed twelve 3-min rounds.
Singaporean friends, I urge you to write to your MPs and pressure them into committing their efforts to ensuring the safe release of Fadli and Fifi.
To my non-Singaporean friends, please read the news articles and share them around so we can bring attention to this grievous violation of human rights.
Singaporeans will not sit idly while our own are in jail for no other crime than being themselves.
Read more about the case here:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/two-singaporeans-jailed-in-abu-dhabi-for-wearing-womens-clothes?fbclid=IwAR1Ynlcom3PeIiaRuKbSffJcofvJdIMgnaXnpAaVDRFaEo19JcLHk-6Z_Eo
or join this group set up by Fadli and Fifi's family and friends for updates:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/267788880394008/
#freefadnfifi
#twosingaporeansinuae
#giveusbackfadnfifi
#LGBTQ"
– From a post on my Facebook page dated 26 August 2016
Documentation by Morag Haswell.