Gay Iraqi could face death penalty if deportation goes ahead

[sabra]

Source: Guardian UK

Asylum seeker would become seventh gay Iraqi to be returned from the UK to country where homosexuality is punishable by death


A gay Iraqi man due for deportation tomorrow has been told by the UK Border Agency to conduct his relationships "in private" on his return to Iraq, where homosexuality is punishable by death.

Campaign group Iraqi LGBT says the asylum seeker will become the seventh gay Iraqi to be returned to the country by the UK, despite the country being one of only nine in the world where homosexual people are executed.

Though a ruling was made in September 2007 allowing two gay Iraqis to remain in the UK, campaigners working on behalf of the man facing deportation tomorrow say his case was held too long ago to benefit from the change in case law achieved in 2007.

Keith Best, the director of the Immigration Advisory Service, told the Guardian that the government ought to give the asylum seeker a fresh hearing.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/feb/03/gay-iraqi-asylum-seeker

[PDJane]

1. It is inhumane to send someone to certain death.

Canada does not do so, and I should have thought that Britain would refrain from doing so, too. I do not understand this at all.

Of course, I don't understand the great debate about homosexuality either; it is what it is, like blue eyes or left-handedness. What kind of world are we making?

[DCKit]

2. G.B., as a whole, may be tolerant, but it seems the homophobes are in charge of immigration.

Here's hoping for a change in management.

[Oregone]

5. Im quite glad Canada doesn't do this

Their view on the death penalty and extradition wasn't one of the reasons Im here, but its certainly something nice to learn about. I think this is just what progressive societies produce.

[ZombieHorde]

3. K&R

[Not a robought]

4. The Iraq war

such a resounding success of spreading freedom and democracy.

:sarcasm:

[Incitatus]

6. Was it punishable by death under Hussein too ?

just curious

[4lbs]

9. Yes. Hussein made homosexuality, prostitution, incest, and rape all punishable by death.

n/t

[Baby Snooks]

7. Why don't we offer them asylum?

If Barack Obama were as committed to equality under the law for all he would offer asylum to them. After all, we are the ones who plunged Irag back into the Dark Ages of Islam where homosexuals are executed along with others whose private lives are no longer private.

[4lbs]

8. Uh... Iraq and Iran executed homosexuals long before "we" (the U.S.) came along

n/t

[Baby Snooks]

11. Actually Iraq didn't...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iraq

And the law that was passed in 2001 did not allow for execution on the first offense and I believe it was allowed only in instances of "public acts" rather than private acts in the bedroom. In any case, homosexuals actually had relative freedom under Saddam Hussein.

http://gayworldreport.blogspot.com/2007/01/life-for-iraqi-gays-gets-worse-and.html

The reality is that in Islamic countries that are "secular" few prosecutions for "immoral behavior" occur unless the "immoral behavior" occurs in public.

Barack Obama really is not much better than Bush on this - he was silent on the UN Resolution calling on member nations to decriminalize homosexual behavior. And has remained silent.

[krister]

10. That is such bullshit.

How could any developed nation allow the risk of someone even receiving a fine due to their sexuality?

[The Traveler]

12. Outrageous

That, my friends, is simply indecent behavior. The Brits are going to deliver this man they have identified as gay into the hands of a nation that kills gay people with greater ease than we dispatch serial killers. Great. Western civilization makes us proud again.

Trav

[IndianaGreen]

13. Pope Ratzo says that we must prune the forest, from LGBTs

Homophobic Islamic Iraq is doing what the Pope wants, and what people like Rick Warren wants.

[TheWraith]

15. Okay, back up.

Look, there's plenty of reasons to despise the Catholic church heirarchy, but you're still not allowed to make things up about them. Pope Rat's quote talked about "saving" gays being like "saving" the rainforest. It's probably one of the LEAST offensive things he's said this year. Say what you want about organized religion in the industrialized world, nothing we have approaches what countries like Iraq and Saudi Arabia do.

[Seldona]

14. How the hell can the UK do this?

It is morally the equivalent of shooting him themselves.

[Corey]

16. Just another aspect of a fundamentalist Christians actions ruining th world....

The story says:

"Homosexuality has been punishable by death in Iraq since 2001, when Saddam Hussein's government amended the country's penal code. The move was thought to be an overture to the country's Islamic conservatives, whose support Saddam latterly tried to win."

Religious Fundmentalist are a danger to the world.

[marshall]

23. Is it being a homosexual or homosexual activity?

If he goes back is he grabbed off the street simply for being there? Or does he actually have to engage in sex with another man?
So hard to remember how "the religion of peace" approaches things like this.

[Politicalboi]

17. Can't they send him here?

This is crazy to send him back only to be put to death. The UK should send Tony Blair to Iraq and see how that goes over.

[dipsydoodle]

18. This is the 7th such instance

Is there any evidence to support the fact that any of the previous six were infact executed ?

[Behind the Aegis]

20. Does it matter if the other six were/n't executed?

"Is there any evidence to support the fact that any of the previous six were infact executed ?" Really, does it matter?

[dipsydoodle]

21. Only in context

with the subject of the OP which was specific - Gay Iraqi could face death penalty if deportation goes ahead.

If there are no definable previous such occurences then its not an issue - is it ?

[Behind the Aegis]

22. Context: homosexuality is punishable by death

The person being deported is homosexual. It doesn't matter if the last six escaped the noose or not, perhaps "seven" isn't a lucky number.

[dipsydoodle]

24. That was not the reason

he gave for claiming asylum. Whatever reason he gave at that the time of entry allowed him to stay - for the time being. He changed the reason at a later date and created a situation of distrust.

Many countries have the death penalty for a variety of their own historic reasons. If you think for one minute that being subject to the death penalty in another country for whatever is sufficient reason for anyone to claim asylum in the UK then dream on.

There was exacly the same fuss and cry the last time someone was deported claiming they couldn't afford their medical fees in their home country.

Given our current economic situation matters like these will go downhill - not up. Perhaps the USA should take in all such asylum applications.

[Behind the Aegis]

25. What a load.

Gee, he came from a country where you can be strung up for being a faggot, and he didn't reveal it as a reason for amnesty?! :eyes: Perhaps if he sucks a dick for them and appears to enjoy it, they will believe him? :eyes:

"There was exactly the same fuss and cry the last time someone was deported claiming they couldn't afford their medical fees in their home country." Yes, they are sooooo comparable.

I understand the world-wide economic situation, but I find this and your excuses disgusting. Why send a person back who could be on the "chopping block" for WHO they are, not because they were a criminal, etc. And, to make this worse, IMO, they are sending him to a fucking war zone for which they are partly responsible for creating.

[closeupready]

19. If they do this, they are complicit in his execution, if he is put to death.

n/t