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stinglikeabeeFrom the BBC: Mehdi Kazemi has said his life is in danger if he is returned to Iran, where he says his boyfriend named him as a partner before being executed. Homosexual acts are illegal in the Islamic republic. A Dutch spokesman said Mr Kazemi would now be sent to the UK, the first European country he entered. A claim for asylum in the UK had already been turned down.
From what I understand of listening to Radio 4's excellent past series on asylum and asylum seekers, a person wishing to apply for asylum must do so on the first friendly soil. Kazemi was correct in seeking asylum in the UK, but unfortunately the level of success is low. There have been cases where perfectly suited asylum cases were denied. Farhat Khan was trapped in a violent marriage to a man who was planning to marry his young daughters to violent relatives. She argued her return to Pakistan would mean her death, as the men in her family believed in 'honour killings'. The UK's response: Khan would not be in danger if she simply moved away to another part of Pakistan. Eventually she won her case, but she was lucky. What about the women who haven't the education, or the skills to convince the Home Office of their predicament? In this case, they may be detained or imprisoned as failed asylum seekers, before being deporting to their country of origin.
When Kazemi's asylum application was denied, he left for the Netherlands where it's better for LGBT asylum seekers. I say better, because that country has accepted seekers from Iran because of the punishment for homosexual acts: execution. However the Dutch government will not listen to his case because he had landed on the UK first. There was a similar scandal when controversial former Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali admitted she lied on her application from which country she arrived from in order to speed up the process. She came to the Netherlands through Kenya and Germany, two countries where she might have applied for asylum. What's frustrating is that no one is denying homosexuals in Iran are executed, and that two Western countries with all their liberal talk are not willing to protect one man from certain death.
Applying for asylum based on sexuality is tricky. Even in the US there's a strong possibility the application will fail and the seeker will be deported. The UK Home Office haven't given any details of why it turned down Kazemi's application, but a commenter mentioned the stance of the government is that gays and lesbians in Iran may not fear danger if they were 'discreet'. There's no chance of that now for Kazemi, who feared for his life in the first place because his ex-lover outed him before execution. The resulting publicity from Kazemi's fight to stay is only making it worse, basically targeting him for death. Once Kazemi is sent to the UK, that country will begin deportation proceedings.
It's sickening that the current climate is so virulently against asylum seekers. This is not just happening in Europe, but in Asia as well. Australia regularly detains or turn away asylum-seekers, Malaysia imprisons. Why is this? After World War II, millions of refugees left their homes to resettle in the Western world. Has this experience forced some sort of backlash? See this article where an immigrant to the UK says problems in the neighbourhood was caused by asylum seekers who 'waste' tax money on beer. He'd like nothing better than to deport them all. His opinions however are shared by many who believe asylum seekers are really economic migrants who lie on applications in order to gain benefits.
I can't believe anyone who could be so cold-hearted as to refuse help to an asylum seeker who may be subject to abuse, or torture, or death even if you don't agree with their positions. Could these asylum decisions ever be justified?
From what I understand of listening to Radio 4's excellent past series on asylum and asylum seekers, a person wishing to apply for asylum must do so on the first friendly soil. Kazemi was correct in seeking asylum in the UK, but unfortunately the level of success is low. There have been cases where perfectly suited asylum cases were denied. Farhat Khan was trapped in a violent marriage to a man who was planning to marry his young daughters to violent relatives. She argued her return to Pakistan would mean her death, as the men in her family believed in 'honour killings'. The UK's response: Khan would not be in danger if she simply moved away to another part of Pakistan. Eventually she won her case, but she was lucky. What about the women who haven't the education, or the skills to convince the Home Office of their predicament? In this case, they may be detained or imprisoned as failed asylum seekers, before being deporting to their country of origin.
When Kazemi's asylum application was denied, he left for the Netherlands where it's better for LGBT asylum seekers. I say better, because that country has accepted seekers from Iran because of the punishment for homosexual acts: execution. However the Dutch government will not listen to his case because he had landed on the UK first. There was a similar scandal when controversial former Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali admitted she lied on her application from which country she arrived from in order to speed up the process. She came to the Netherlands through Kenya and Germany, two countries where she might have applied for asylum. What's frustrating is that no one is denying homosexuals in Iran are executed, and that two Western countries with all their liberal talk are not willing to protect one man from certain death.
Applying for asylum based on sexuality is tricky. Even in the US there's a strong possibility the application will fail and the seeker will be deported. The UK Home Office haven't given any details of why it turned down Kazemi's application, but a commenter mentioned the stance of the government is that gays and lesbians in Iran may not fear danger if they were 'discreet'. There's no chance of that now for Kazemi, who feared for his life in the first place because his ex-lover outed him before execution. The resulting publicity from Kazemi's fight to stay is only making it worse, basically targeting him for death. Once Kazemi is sent to the UK, that country will begin deportation proceedings.
It's sickening that the current climate is so virulently against asylum seekers. This is not just happening in Europe, but in Asia as well. Australia regularly detains or turn away asylum-seekers, Malaysia imprisons. Why is this? After World War II, millions of refugees left their homes to resettle in the Western world. Has this experience forced some sort of backlash? See this article where an immigrant to the UK says problems in the neighbourhood was caused by asylum seekers who 'waste' tax money on beer. He'd like nothing better than to deport them all. His opinions however are shared by many who believe asylum seekers are really economic migrants who lie on applications in order to gain benefits.
I can't believe anyone who could be so cold-hearted as to refuse help to an asylum seeker who may be subject to abuse, or torture, or death even if you don't agree with their positions. Could these asylum decisions ever be justified?
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 08:41 pm (UTC)No. I think it just gets easier for these officials to think of people as faceless numbers than actual humans.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 09:13 pm (UTC)http://www.petitiononline.com/pegah/petition.html
Someone else on my FL just posted that.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 09:23 pm (UTC)Sadly, I felt the need to create such an icon a few weeks ago after listening to the news.
Now if he had claimed to be a Christian evangelist, they would have granted asylum without question.
I hadn't thought about this, but now I have to agree. It's difficult not to think about xenophobia and even racism in these decisions. I don't want to be the sort of person who thinks the worst of everyone, so I'm still hoping there's a better explanation for the denials.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 09:26 pm (UTC)It makes me angry that you're right and that the Dutch government basically said 'It's not our problem, it's the UK's' regarding this case. For all the EU's talk of conforming to the UN declaration of human rights, when push comes to shove they don't practice what they preach.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 09:28 pm (UTC)Heck, even Hilary, who's been chatting about the evils of Iran. Maybe she might have the balls to step up and do the right thing?
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 09:35 pm (UTC)You might try emailing Amnesty International and see if they're going to get involved.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 10:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 10:33 pm (UTC)Mr Prime Minister,
I have only recently heard about the Iranian teenager Mehdi Kazemi who will be deported from the Netherlands to the UK. His failed asylum application in both countries mean he will be soon sent back to Iran, where he says he will face imprisonment, torture, and a possible execution. This is most distressing news. It is unthinkable to read that the UK government might turn a blind eye to this one person who may be saved from his death at the hands of a oppressive government.
EU law recognises sexual orientation as a ground for Member States to grant asylum. In addition, Article 3 of the European Convention on Human rights, as well as the Charter of Fundamental Rights and international human rights law, prohibits the removal, expulsion or extradition of persons to countries where there is a serious risk they would be subjected to the death penalty, torture or other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Forget for a second, the row about whether to ratify an EU constitution. The lines I have quoted to you were drafted for a reason - to protect those who can not protect themselves. Politics should not enter into the equation at all.
I understand your office does not comment on ongoing asylum cases, but this is one stand where your stance is needed. Kazemi is not an illegal alien, or a drug abuser, or a criminal. He is a frightened young man who only wishes to live his life with the same freedoms we in the Western world cherish. I urge you to overturn the previous ruling and grant Kazemi refugee status. Thank you.
For Obama and Clinton, basically the same thing except that I urge them to write a letter of protest to the UK & Dutch governments and think about offering sanctuary to Kazemi.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 10:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-11 10:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-12 01:48 am (UTC)http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/UKMADHI/signatures.html
no subject
Date: 2008-03-12 04:16 am (UTC)