And they were terrified that Islamic fundamentalists and vigilante groups emboldened by the new regime could do the same to them -- or worse.Some LGBTQ people told CNN they have been hiding in single rooms and basements for weeks, staring at the walls or endlessly watching their phones for any hint of a way out.
Under the previous government, sexual relations between people of the same gender were illegal and punishable by up to two years in jail. " dominated the makeup industry and worked as makeup artists ... There were concerts and fashion shows and all of this was dominated by the LGBTQ community," he said.
One gay man who has been in touch with Sadat, the US-based LGBTQ advocate, said he told him he watched from his hiding place in the ceiling as Taliban fighters beat the friend who had refused to divulge his location. Sadat shared a video with CNN of the beating, taken by the man in secret. "We are LGBT. It is not our fault. It has been written as such in my destiny, in my spirit ... No one can change this. All they can do is to kill me," Hilal said.The US and its allies raced to evacuate thousands of people from Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport before the withdrawal deadline of August 31.
Some of them are so desperate they are falling victim to scams, including an offer of fake Ugandan visas which gave many individuals false hope, he said. Some told CNN they refuse to answer local phone numbers for fear the Taliban have tracked them down.
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