News
2007-02-09
Canadian
immigration board denies asylum to gay runaway from
Nicaragua
The Immigration
and Refugee Board of Canada has refused to grant a gay
runaway from Nicaragua asylum
The Immigration
and Refugee Board of Canada has refused to grant a gay
runaway from Nicaragua asylum because they do not believe he
is gay. Alvaro Antonio Orozco, who ran away from his
home country when he was 12, was hoping to find
sanctuary from the abuse he endured from his family
because of his sexuality, reports The [Toronto]
Globe andMail.
"My father called me 'marica' [an antigay
slur] and told me he would beat it out of me," Orozco, now
21, told the paper.
IRB member Deborah Lamont heard Orozco’s
case via videoconference but concluded that she did
not believe Orozco was gay. She said her reason was
that Orozco was not sexually active as a teenager and that
he also did not specify his sexuality when he
left Nicaragua.
El-Farouk Khaki, Orozco’s attorney, told
The Globe and Mail that
Lamont’s decision reflected a stereotype that
is founded on the idea that gay teens are more sexually
active than straight teens.
"I think the decision shows a lack of
understanding of issues facing queer kids from
homophobic cultures and what they have to deal with in
terms of gender stereotypes," Khaki said.
Orozco’s next move is to appeal for a
ministerial permit from immigration minister Diane
Finley. In addition, Khaki is trying to reopen his refugee claim.
In 1992, Nicaragua passed an amendment making
same-sex relationships illegal, and
anyone campaigning for gay rights or providing same-sex
health information can be found guilty of breaking the law.
(The Advocate)
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