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Report: Gay Iraqi Asylum-Seekers Returned


Iraqx390 (Photos.com) | Advocate.com

A new report from Amnesty International accuses several European countries of violating international law by returning asylum-seekers, including endangered gays, to Iraq despite continuing violence.

The UK Press Association reports that, “Amnesty International accused Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden of forcibly repatriating Iraqis to ‘extremely dangerous’ parts of the country — in breach of United Nations guidelines.”

The group says that more than 100 civilians have been killed in the first week of April, with religious and ethnic minorities, women and gay men being targeted in particular.

“Amnesty said many of those at risk had been killed — including dozens of women murdered in Basra on ‘moral’ grounds, at least 25 men and boys thought to be gay who were killed in February last year, and at least eight Christians killed in Mosul in February during apparent sectarian attacks,” reports the Press Association.

Uncertainty over the formation of a new government after elections last month adds to the violence. Amnesty is calling for failed asylum-seekers to be returned to Iraq only when the conditions stabilize.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Jon
    Date posted: 4/28/2010 9:44:39 AM
    Hometown: Toronto

    Comment:

    This is rich, Americans lambasting Europeans for turning away gay asylum seekers. Meanwhile not only has your country also turned away gay asylum seekers, and won't even allow those with HIV into the country, but you actually have Queer people seeking refugee status in other countries becasue of the lack of rights afforded to you. People in glass in houses shouldn't throw stones. Also it should be noted that under Sadam sodomy was actually legal in Iraq, in fact it was legal there before it was nationally in the U.S. Was it better for Queers? If it was it's only because the country is less stable right now and people tend to act out against minorities more during times of instability.

  • Name: Stephen
    Date posted: 4/28/2010 5:20:08 AM
    Hometown: Sackville

    Comment:

    Shame on these countries, especially The Netherlands. I'm shocked by such callousness. It's nothing short of the most disgusting display of "not giving a damn" that these nations should return gay people to Iraq. They just don't care. Proud and arrogant. This news need to get out and these countries face some sort of protest at the way they have acted. They have blood on their hands.

  • Name: Davya
    Date posted: 4/28/2010 1:12:16 AM
    Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

    Comment:

    "Gay people were relatively fine under Saddam" Are you fucking KIDDING me?

  • Name: Ben
    Date posted: 4/27/2010 5:24:02 PM
    Hometown: NY

    Comment:

    Un-fucking-believable. What are these people thinking?

  • Name: Andreas
    Date posted: 4/27/2010 3:28:42 PM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    Wow....maybe Scandinavia isn't as cool as we'd like to think....

  • Name: Tricia C.
    Date posted: 4/27/2010 3:22:23 PM
    Hometown: Omaha, NE

    Comment:

    Anyone remember the MS St. Louis?

  • Name: paul canning
    Date posted: 4/27/2010 11:46:34 AM
    Hometown: cambridge, UK

    Comment:

    Help gay Iraqis. See how on Iraqi LGBT website http://iraqilgbtuk.blogspot.com/

  • Name: Alex
    Date posted: 4/27/2010 10:22:13 AM
    Hometown: The Hague

    Comment:

    And again thank you Mr Bush.... Gay people were relatively fine under Saddam. But no Mr Bush wanted war...... for oil and to please daddy. So now Irak has "freedom" and yes more death and slaughter then ever.



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