Muslim gay wins
asylum appeal
From
manchesteronline.co,uk/news July 21, 2005
A FAILED asylum seeker was given a
new chance to stay in Britain today because he is a Muslim homosexual.
Three appeal judges ruled that as a gay, the Palestinian would face persecution
if he returned to his home in the Lebanon.
The 34-year-old man, identified only as HC, left the refugee camp near Sidon
where he was born in 1998 after the video shop where he worked was blown up.
He was told by another resident of Camp 100 that he had caused the explosion
because he knew HC was gay.
Lord Justice Keene, giving the ruling of the court, said the man had told him
homosexuality was against the Muslim religion and he must leave.
Evidence
These facts had been accepted by an adjudicator after the Palestinian's claim
for asylum was refused in 2003 but his appeal had been dismissed, said the
judge.
Dr Alan George, a specialist in Middle Eastern political and economic affairs,
gave written evidence that homosexuality is condemned by Muslims both in
Lebanese and Palestinian society and that gays were subject to abuse and serious
discrimination.
Lord Justice Keene said the adjudicator had not dealt with the "substantial"
evidence which pointed to the acute problems faced by a man who was both a
Palestinian refugee and a homosexual.
The appeal court quashed the findings of an Immigration Appeal Tribunal and
referred the case to the new Asylum and Immigration Tribunal for a fresh
decision.
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