Sunday 31 October 2010

Croatia rejects Phillipine transsexual's asylum claim

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Source: Croatian Times

Zagreb resident Marko’s transgender partner April is to be deported from Croatia to the Philippines where she could possibly be stoned to death.

The police are currently keeping April in Jezevo center where she is awaiting deportation even after the court declared that she is not to leave the country until they reach a final verdict on her case.

April had applied for asylum in Croatia, but both her application and her appeal were refused, the daily Jutarnji List writes.

She was then taken to the magistrate court, which postponed its decision until a later time. During this time, April was free but forbidden from leaving the country.

Despite the court’s decision to wait on the verdict, the police detained April, her desperate partner Marko has told the local newspaper.

The couple had met over the internet in 2008. Soon their love blossomed and Marko decided to move to Philippines to be with April. They opened a grocery store together. But April was continuously assaulted by the residents of her small town, some of whom had tried to stone her on the street. Police laughed at her when she called for help, Marko says. April's brother had even threatened to kill her.

The two decided to move to Croatia in October of last year and April had a three-month visa. Since she is biologically male – born as Henry – the two cannot marry in Croatia. Marriage would have ensured legal documents for her stay.

Marko says that they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in order to stop the deportation.

"She is very frightened," says Marko about his partner. He has been able to visit her every day since her detention. "They humiliated her even there." Allegedly the police asked April to remove her clothes and but when she implored them to turn around, they refused, the daily writes.
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