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...GodDAMMIT, PEOPLE.
Jul. 7th, 2008 11:37 amA gay asylum seeker has been told that he should be safe in his homeland of Syria, provided he behaves "discreetly." A tribunal found that gays have no right of protection from international persecution.
JoJo Jako Jacob, who is 19, claims he will be executed if he is returned to Syria.
He escaped two years ago after suffering severe abuse at the hands of the Syrian police and prison guards when he was arrested for distributing anti-government leaflets.
After discovering he was homosexual, he says prison guards beat him so severely that he fell into a coma.
At a recent hearing, British government officials accused him of lying about his sexuality and his treatment by the Syrian police.
The Scotland on Sunday reports that a an immigration appeal tribunal has refused his request in the UK, despite now accepting that he is gay and that his home country represses homosexuality.
The ruling by the Asylum Immigration Tribunal, sitting in Glasgow, states: "Syria criminalises and represses homosexuality. Homosexuals have to modify their behaviour and lifestyle accordingly. We find no evidence that in Syria (Yakob] would conduct himself other than discreetly to avoid repercussions."
Except for the part where they ALREADY KNOW HE'S GAY.
(Which isn't even getting into the whole "But he doesn't HAVE to act gay" bullshit from the Tribunal, which is frankly insulting, but I'm too infuriated to talk rationally about this right now.)
(More at link. Via Shakesville.)
JoJo Jako Jacob, who is 19, claims he will be executed if he is returned to Syria.
He escaped two years ago after suffering severe abuse at the hands of the Syrian police and prison guards when he was arrested for distributing anti-government leaflets.
After discovering he was homosexual, he says prison guards beat him so severely that he fell into a coma.
At a recent hearing, British government officials accused him of lying about his sexuality and his treatment by the Syrian police.
The Scotland on Sunday reports that a an immigration appeal tribunal has refused his request in the UK, despite now accepting that he is gay and that his home country represses homosexuality.
The ruling by the Asylum Immigration Tribunal, sitting in Glasgow, states: "Syria criminalises and represses homosexuality. Homosexuals have to modify their behaviour and lifestyle accordingly. We find no evidence that in Syria (Yakob] would conduct himself other than discreetly to avoid repercussions."
Except for the part where they ALREADY KNOW HE'S GAY.
(Which isn't even getting into the whole "But he doesn't HAVE to act gay" bullshit from the Tribunal, which is frankly insulting, but I'm too infuriated to talk rationally about this right now.)
(More at link. Via Shakesville.)
