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Gay Iranian man loses asylum plea | Gay Iranian man loses asylum plea |
(4 days later) | |
An Iranian homosexual man who has said he will be executed if he is deported from the Netherlands has had his claim for asylum overturned. | An Iranian homosexual man who has said he will be executed if he is deported from the Netherlands has had his claim for asylum overturned. |
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. | 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. | 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 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. | A claim for asylum in the UK had already been turned down. |
Application turned down | Application turned down |
His case has become a campaign cause for gay rights activists across Europe. | His case has become a campaign cause for gay rights activists across Europe. |
Mr Kazemi, 19, said he had travelled to Britain in 2005 to study English, and learned that his lover in Iran had been executed for sodomy, his lawyer Borg Palm said. | Mr Kazemi, 19, said he had travelled to Britain in 2005 to study English, and learned that his lover in Iran had been executed for sodomy, his lawyer Borg Palm said. |
After his asylum application was turned down, he fled to the Netherlands in 2006, having narrowly avoided being sent back to Iran. | After his asylum application was turned down, he fled to the Netherlands in 2006, having narrowly avoided being sent back to Iran. |
Dutch immigration authorities are more lenient towards homosexual Iranians, who are afforded special status because of the regime's hard line against them. | Dutch immigration authorities are more lenient towards homosexual Iranians, who are afforded special status because of the regime's hard line against them. |
'Life in danger' | 'Life in danger' |
The Dutch are refusing to consider the case. Under the EU's 2003 Dublin Regulation, the state the applicant first enters is responsible for processing their application. | The Dutch are refusing to consider the case. Under the EU's 2003 Dublin Regulation, the state the applicant first enters is responsible for processing their application. |
Mr Kazemi says his life will be in danger not only because he has been named as a homosexual, but also because of the extensive media coverage of his case,. | Mr Kazemi says his life will be in danger not only because he has been named as a homosexual, but also because of the extensive media coverage of his case,. |
Mr Kazemi's uncle - who is in the UK - said the family was considering an appeal to the European Court. | Mr Kazemi's uncle - who is in the UK - said the family was considering an appeal to the European Court. |
A statement from Britain's immigration service said: "We examine with great care each individual case before removal and we will not remove anyone who we believe is at risk on their return." | A statement from Britain's immigration service said: "We examine with great care each individual case before removal and we will not remove anyone who we believe is at risk on their return." |
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