Gay, Christian Iranian man loses appeal, risks deportation and execution

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Just heard about this...

Medhi Kazemi, age 19, is at risk of being deported back to Iran.  He is gay and an apostate from Islam, both capital offenses in Iran.

While in the UK on a student visa, he applied for refugee status after his boyfriend was executed; his application was refused.  He then tried to apply for refugee status with the Netherlands; after a lengthy process and a number of appeals, the Netherland courts have concluded that under the Dublin Treaty, his refugee claim can only be heard in the first EU country in which he applied.

So... within the next 72 hours, he's due to be returned to the UK.  What will happen after that is less clear, but his situation is precarious: apparently, he could be deported to Iran at any time.

Here's the CNN story on Kazemi's situation:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/11/iran.asylum/

Not sure what can be done about this, but I figured you might want to know.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

It's a sad world we live in, that hatred is so rampant.

It is even more sad that people are being killed for no other reason, than for being themselves.

If the god of Islam exists, s/he is no doubt very sad at the activities of his/her self-proclaimed followers.

I am saddened that humans would be willing to do this to one another.

 

[pieces o nine]

Sadly, his is only the latest case to get media play, regarding someone about to be deported to a country where his or her life is in real danger, and the bureaucrats in charge of granting refugee status are washing their hands in full knowledge of the likely outcome.

Very, very sad.

[Opsa]

If you really want to get depressed, just try to imagine all the cases that don't get media play.

I wish we could get him here into the U.S. or Canada. I think he'd have a better chance, even with all our stupid hate societies.

Speaking of which, I heard the other night on NBC news that there are, like 888 known hate societies in America. That made me sad. But then I'd like to know how many societies there are like ours, where we're trying to find other ways to cope than intolerance. Maybe it would be a more hopeful message.

[Aphos]

This isn't the only case of an Iranian being denied sanctuary in Britain.  Ed Brayton gives details about a 40 yr old lesbian that was also denied.

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008/03/britain_denies_asylum_to_irani.php#more

The British government's reason for denying sanctuary?...

In turning down Ms Emambakhsh and Mr Kazemi's asylum applications, the Home Office has said that, provided Iranians are discreet about their homosexuality, they will not be persecuted.

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Hmm.

Well, since his relationship was made public during his boyfriend's trial, it would seem that Kazemi doesn't have the option of being "discreet about his homosexuality".

There's still also the issue of his conversion to Christianity - apostasy from Islam is also punishable by death.

I realize that this is a bigger problem than one person, but usually we hear about it in a general sense.  It's hard to combat a systemic problem head-on, but this is a specific, known case where a clear course of action is avaiable: it'd be so simple for British officials to just decide not to kick him out of the country.

[beagle]

Why am I not surprised that probably the only immigrant the Home Office will successfully deport this year is the one that meets a strict interpretation of the right to stay?

Wonder if it's pure bungling, or a fear that half the Islamic World will come out in an attempt to storm fortress Europe.

[Aggie]

Wonder if it's pure bungling, or a fear that half the Islamic World will come out in an attempt to storm fortress Europe.

The gay Christian half?

[beagle]

The gay Christian rain-loving warm beer drinking half.

More seriously, there is a problem that there are literally millions of people who are at risk in their own countries, and for each genuine case there are also many other economic migrants who know what they have to say to manipulate the immigration system. Not suggesting that is the case here though.

[Aggie]

Ayuh, it's similar here, although I don't think it's viewed exactly the same (i.e. less of a threat to the state of the nation - depends on where you are and how many of X ethnic group have moved into your neighborhood in the last 2 years, I guess ).  Really, any country with significant human rights violations will have a significant pool of legitimate potential refugees - who to we let stay? 

The issue of economic migrants is interesting, especially because we are quite willing to let in those who DON'T need to come here to get above the economic curve.  I know in Canada, if you have $400,000 that you are willing to lend interest-free to the government for 62 months (and a total worth of $800,000), you are effectively shooed in without any further ado.

[Griffin NoName]

John Simpson,. BBC, reported from Iran today, saying that stuff about if you don't flaunt it you don't get hung. Perhaps the Home Office could advise on how not to flaunt it before sending 'em back

[Swatopluk]

Maybe not hung means just "disappearing" or prison or flogging or other harmless things that one could even enjoy, if one was into SM.
You want asylum? Please show us the valid death warrant (not older than a fortnight)