Finnish court stops removal of gay Iranian

Image via Wikipedia

Source: YLE

The Supreme Administrative Court sent back a Finnish Immigration Service decision to deport an Iranian asylum seeker who would face persecution in Iran for being gay.

The court sent the case back to the Immigration Service for further reconsideration, stating that case must be examined more closely.

The court said the Immigration Service must carefully examine whether Iranians have a legitimate reason to fear persecution in their homeland because of their sexual orientation.

Last week, YLE reported that Finland has deported asylum seekers to countries where they can be sentenced to severe penalties for their homosexuality.

Homosexuality is a crime punished with imprisonment and even execution in Iran.

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Finland deported gays to dangerous countries, report claims

Source: YSE.fi

EU-funded research suggests Finland has deported asylum seekers to countries where they could be put to death for their sexual orientation. Some have even been told to conceal their sexuality to ensure they remain safe. But a ministry official says responsibility falls on Finland if deportees are harmed in their home countries.

Most of the cases took place between 2008 and 2010. Researchers say that ten refugees were sent to countries where they could receive harsh punishments for their sexuality, but there could be more cases. More than 70 countries currently treat homosexuality as a crime.

Some African and Middle Eastern countries can sentence people to death for homosexuality, while several have fines, forced labour and long jail sentences on the statute books. Nigeria, Iran, Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania fall into that group.

The deportations came to light as a result of EU-funded research into the matter.

Pentti Visanen of the Interior Ministry is now examining the report. He says officials today are becoming increasingly aware of gay asylum cases. He says responsibility falls on Finland if deportees are harmed in their home countries.

Those working with gay asylum seekers say Finland encouraged them to go to safer areas of their home countries or conceal their sexuality.

Attorney Juha-Pekka Hippi says telling people to stay in the closet is a violation of human rights. Visanen of the ministry agrees, likening such advice to telling political refugees to not voice their opinions.

The Finnish Immigration Service, however, denies it sent gay asylum seekers into dangerous situations.

“Asylum is granted if the legal conditions are met and if the application is believable,” [translation] says senior inspector at the Service, Piia Pirkola-Mercier.

Related articles:

• In Finland, 'homosexuality rarely accepted as grounds for asylum'
• Finland orders gay Iranian out, told 'be discrete'

"The hell on earth called Russia": Part two: Fleeing for Western asylum

'Kim' and 'Olga'

By Anton Schteinberg

This post continues the story of trans woman 'Kim' and her girlfriend 'Olga' from Arkhangelsk, North-West Russia: 

• "The hell on earth called Russia": One trans woman's story

After persecution in Arkhangelsk 'Kim' tries for a new life in Murmansk - where she meets 'Olga'. She loses her job and is persecuted again. They take up a Moscow job offer only to end up in a mob-run brothel where they service policemen who rape and torture them. Finally they escape and head back to Murmansk. After they hear that the mob is after them they head for Finland ...


On the Finland border, a guard checked our documents and let us in. At last we left the hell on earth called Russia; tired, sick, but full of hopes for new life. Ehhh….

We decided to apply for asylum in Sweden; we (and not only we) were sure that there is one of the most tolerant to LGBT people countries, hoping to be understood and get help.

So, we headed to Stockholm by hitchhiking, because we had no enough money for a train or a bus ticket even. In two days we reached Solna Migrationsverket [the Swedish National Migration Board] in Stockholm.

The first bad surprise in Sweden we got there: the reception center for asylum seekers was closed. It appeared that is no 24/7 asylum reception in Sweden. So, we spend weekends like homeless beggars: bushes instead of room, a bench and pieces of cardboard instead of bed, old papers for blanket, and bags for pillows. This all considering our health (you know already from Part I), and ambient air temperature 0°C (ZERO). You can ask, what was a necessity to live at the street, why not to ask just a first police officer for assistance, this is their service. So, remember our misadventures in Russia, especially with local police … sufferings never pass immediately, as physical as moral. Really, police offices appeared near asylum reception centre sometimes, and some people were going in and out, but nobody paid attention to us. And, we were simply afraid.

On Monday, we got into asylum reception centre at last. Well, we really got rather nice attitude there. An officer registered us with IDs we had (we succeed to preserve our travel passports after all troubles in Russia) and gave us tickets to Märsta asylum centre.

Read more »

Assaults, arrests at St Petersberg Slavic Pride

Homophobe attacking Alexander Sheremetyev, an organizer of the Pride

Source: GayRussia.Ru

Saturday 25 June was the second attempt by LGBT activists of St. Petersburg to host an annual Gay Pride March. Last year's attempt was banned by the city hall. Despite the ban, two dozen LGBT activists defied the ban and walked in front of the famous Hermitage Museum. The police arrested 5 participants.

The same scenario happened this year as the Pride was again banned and organizers again said they will not cancel their plan. As was announced 24 June during a press-conference, the banned Pride started at 2pm at the statue of Peter the Great in the center of the city. 20 people showed up for the event and 14 were arrested. One was assaulted by a homophobe (can be seen in the photo) and one at the police station by a police officer.

This year, St. Petersburg Pride is hosting the third Slavic Gay Pride. Slavic Gay Pride is a union of Russian-Belarusian-Ukrainian Pride organizers. Previous Slavic Gay Pride in Moscow (2009) and Minsk (2010) were banned and participants were arrested.

Arrest of Nikolai Alekseev

At the 24 May press conference it was announced that next year's Slavic Gay Pride will take place between Finland and Russia.

"We believe that by starting in Finland, we might finally have a chance to march legaly at least for the first part," said organiser Nikolai Alekseev.

In a press release the President of the IDAHO Committee Louis-Georges Tin called for a protest from the French government.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is being lobbied to condemn the arrests at an LGBT Pride month event taking place today in Washington DC.

Yesterday during Berlin Pride a protest took place outside the Russian Embassy. Next weekend one is planned for London.

• Live blog of events

Related articles

• In Russia, Moscow Pride has changed attitudes for the better (madikazemi.blogspot.com)
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In Finland, 'homosexuality rarely accepted as grounds for asylum'

Source: Helsingin Sanomat

Persecution because of homosexuality is rarely accepted as grounds for political asylum in Finland. However, it is a fairly common reason for applying for asylum.

Esko Repo, head of the asylum unit of the Finnish Immigration Service, says that of the approximately 4,000 asylum applicants in Finland last year, a “three digit number” mentioned persecution on the basis of sexual orientation as the reason that they were seeking asylum.
    
The gay rights organisation SETA, the Finnish section of Amnesty International, and the Free Movement network are currently campaigning on behalf of a Zimbabwean man who has applied for asylum three times because of persecution for his homosexuality.

The man came to Finland as an IT student in 2002. He applied for asylum the following year after officials in Zimbabwe learned of his homosexuality.

The man has been refused asylum in Finland.

The organisations campaigning on his behalf are now trying to reverse the decision to send him out of the country. They have organised a demonstration on his behalf in Helsinki.
    
Homosexuality remains a crime in more than 70 countries, and it is punishable by death in Iran, Yemen, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Homosexuality is a taboo in several Middle Eastern and African countries, and is punishable by imprisonment.

The rights of Ugandan sexual minorities came under the spotlight recently when a Ugandan tabloid published the names of 100 homosexuals in the country, and called for them to be hanged.
    
Homosexuality was decriminalised in Finland in 1971, and it was removed from the list of illnesses in 1981.

Related articles

• EU court to rule on gay asylum 'discretion test' (madikazemi.blogspot.com)

Finland orders gay Iranian out, told 'be discrete'

Image via Wikipedia

Source: Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees - 3 February

By Ms. Ahmad and Sengupta, IRQR volunteers

Naser fled Iran because he feared for his life. As an Iranian queer, Naser was left no choice but to leave his family and whole life behind. In Iran, he was obligated to marry, but when he did, his ex-wife found out about his past relationship with another man. After finding out his sexual orientation, Naser was reported to the authorities and was tried for his sexual orientation. During the trial, there were a number of witnesses used against him, one of which was his former boy-friend. With the statements made by the witnesses, he was sure to be found guilty for his actions, which may have led him to death.

He fled Iran to Dubai, where he found a new life. He knew of the dangers that existed there however, he hoped to live as well as he could. After 8 years of establishing himself, he was reported to authorities in Dubai. Once again, he escaped for fear of his life. He traveled to Germany, where he held a visa, but continued on to Finland to seek refuge. He applied as a refugee to seek asylum in Finland however, he was denied on the basis that his claim was not sufficient enough. The Finnish government like many other European governments recommended Naser to return to Iran and keep his identity a secret.

In his plea with Finnish court officials, Naser states, “I cannot return to Iran because of the laws that exist against homosexuality. The strongest proof I have for my case is ME! I am homosexual and being homosexual is against the law in Iran and I will be persecuted by the government”.

Naser currently lives in fear of returning to Iran. He keeps his immediate family notified of his situation but cannot return because the government knows of his departure.

In the phone interview with Naser, he spoke of hope for a better future in Finland. He hopes to live with all the rights he deserves as a human being and hopes that the Finnish government will honour that. To the world today, Naser would like to say that “Iranian queer exist! They are real and I am proof of the struggles they face. Please do not turn your gaze away! Please do not deny us! We need the world’s support to change the circumstances we are in and will continue to struggle until freedom is in our grasp.”

On one hand, in Iran, Naser must hide his identity to live a safe life; and on the other hand, the European government requires him to prove his identity to live a safe life. Naser is in limbo and desperately needs help because of his risky situation. Naser is just one of many Iranian queer refugees who is in this situation. Like Ashgar, who is facing deportation in Norway and other Iranian queer asylum seekers in Europe, Naser must prove his sexual identity in Finland in order to grant asylum. Please show your support by contacting your members of parliament, government and politicians to revise these regulations.

• Finnish Immigration Service website