Reports from the UK indicate that an Iranian-born immigrant there is facing deportation. Iran is notorious for its human rights violations against any number of minority groups, particularly gay men. The UK's "Home Office" for immigration told CNN the quote featured above -- basically denying the well documented history of abuse there. I call it like I see it - total bullshit!
In a letter to the "Home Office," the teenager involved, Mehdi Kazemi, wrote:
"I wish to inform the Secretary of State that I did not come to the UK to claim asylum. I came here to study and return to my country. But in the past few months my situation back home has changed. The Iranian authorities have found out that I am a homosexual and they are looking for me... I cannot stop my attraction towards men. This is something that I will have to live with the rest of my life. I was born with the feeling and cannot change this fact but it is unfortunate that I cannot express my feeling in Iran. If I return to Iran I will be arrested and executed like my former boyfriend."
Iranian-born LGBT-identified people in Western countries should be granted political asylum. End of story.
