Gay Lebanese Man Seeks Asylum in Oz

A gay Lebanese man currently living in Australia is seeking asylum out of fear that returning to his home country would put him in danger.

The Daily Star of Lebanon reports that the man moved Down Under after marrying an Australian woman but that the union dissolved when his wife discovered he was gay. Now he's afraid to return to Lebanon because he claims the woman revealed his homosexuality to his family.

According to a refugee review tribunal, sexual minorities in Lebanon are often targets. "Despite the popular view that Lebanon is the gay-friendliest country in the Arab world, some activists say that behind closed doors, sexual minorities often suffer physical and psychological abuse," the tribunal said.

The man's request for asylum is said to be under reconsideration by the immigration minister.

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