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Mehdi Kazemi Obtains Temporary Reprive

A gay Iranian teenager who was under threat of being deported has won a temporary reprieve.

Mehdi Kazemi had feared he could be forced to go back to Iran, but the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith says his case will be reconsidered.

Jean Lambert MEP today appealed to the European Parliament to support the 19 year old and called for him to be granted asylum in the EU.

Ms Lambert tabled a joint motion for the Greens calling on the UK and the Netherlands to find a common solution to avoid his deportation, which was subsequently adopted by the Parliament.

In Iran homosexuality is punishable by death and the young man's former partner was executed after being identified as gay by the authorities.

Mr Kazemi's request to apply for asylum in the Netherlands was turned down on Tuesday and he is now awaiting to return to the UK, where he was first refused asylum last year.

Speaking in the debate in the European Parliament, this afternoon, Jean Lambert MEP said:

"We know that Iran is very dangerous for homosexuals. The UK Government has said that it will be safe for him to return if he is discreet in his behaviour, but it would be impossible for him to live freely in Iran."

The debate was followed by a vote on the joint motion to protect Mr Kazemi from deportation. The motion was carried with an overwhelming majority and adopted as a position of the European Parliament.

Speaking after the debate, Jean Lambert MEP continued: "The deportation of anyone to a third country where they risk persecution, torture and death amounts to a violation of European and international human rights obligations."

"There is no doubt that Mehdi Kazemi will be in danger if returned, his former partner has been executed and his own father has threatened to kill him. Obviously this is an extremely distressing situation for him and the Member States involved should resolve his status as quickly as possible."

In Europe, the Dublin 2 Regulation advises Member States to send asylum-seekers back to the first country in which they claimed asylum, unless there was an error in the original decision-making process.

Jean Lambert MEP is currently leading the European Parliament's evaluation of this legislation.

Responding to Jacqui Smith’s announcement that Mehdi case is to be reconsidered Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “This decision is not before time."

“There should be no deportations of gay people back to Iran while we know the fate that lies in store for them.”

Liberal Democrat MP for Southwark and North Bermondsey, Simon Hughes, who has campaigned on behalf of Mehdi Kazemi, said: “This public confirmation of the Government’s position is very welcome."

“I hope Mr Kazemi will now come back to Britain where arrangements are already in place for an urgent meeting with him, his family, specialist lawyers and myself to prepare a new application to the Home Office."

“It is becoming more and more clear that sending gay people back to Iran under the present regime is completely unacceptable," he added.

Author: Joanne Oatts

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