The first openly gay Muslim imam is killed in South Africa, prompting claims of an assassination

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00:00His killing has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ community and beyond.

00:06Maseen Hendricks, who was hailed as the world's first openly gay imam, was shot dead over

00:11the weekend in what rights groups fear may be a hate crime.

00:15Hendricks' mosque in Cape Town was viewed as a safe haven for LGBTQ and other marginalised

00:20Muslims and championing an inclusive faith, he had garnered international recognition.

00:26Those close to him are devastated.

00:28I've never met an openly gay imam like Imam Mohsen in my life, before I met him when I

00:34came here in South Africa.

00:36And another thing, the way he teaches Islam, the way he teaches religion, is different,

00:45you know.

00:46He's not this kind of person who makes you hate religion.

00:50Imam was not teaching people to become gay, was not teaching people to be homosexual,

00:55but he was teaching people, his teachings about faith, spiritual development of a human

01:00being, understanding your faith.

01:03Muslim groups have condemned the killing.

01:06Police insist they are looking into the incident, adding that the two suspects fled the scene.

01:11Activists are calling for a thorough investigation and for those responsible to be brought to

01:16justice.

01:17It sends a message, it's just a message of hate speech, a message of human rights,

01:25a message of violence, a message of living in safe communities and which calls for action.

01:35South Africa's constitution was the first in the world to bar discrimination on the

01:39grounds of sexual orientation, and in 2006, the country became the first on the continent

01:44to legalise same-sex marriage.

01:47But despite this, LGBTQ people in the country still grapple with high rates of discrimination

01:52and violence.

01:53It's time now for...

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