Human rights groups have urged Kenya to allow LGBT groups to carry out their work there uninterrupted.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a new video in which it notes that the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) was denied its application to register, and that such NGOs were often deemed “unacceptable”.

“The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission seeks to carry out basic human rights work, such as standing up for LGBT people who have been victims of violence,” said Eric Gitari, executive director of NGLHRC.

“To deny the NGLHRC the right to register is to deny them the chance to carry out this important work and violates the rights to freedom of association and non-discrimination enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution.”

NGLHRC attempted to register as an NGO in 2012, but the Non-Governmental Organizations Coordination Board denied the application, stating that the name of the organisation was “unacceptable”, noting that the Kenyan Penal Code criminalises “gay and lesbian liaisons.”

The NGLHRC challenged the refusal in court. The case is scheduled to be heard by the constitutional and judicial review division of the High Court of Kenya on 9 October.