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10-04-08 01:34
Michael Cashman MEP speaks on Mehdi
--->Michael Cashman on You Tube click here <---
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08-04-08 17:17
MEP In High Level Meetings with Home Office Following Gay Iranian Teen’s Return to UK
BIRMINGHAM, April 8, 2008 – A series of high level meetings with senior members of the Home Office as been arranged by MEP Michael Cashman (West Midlands, Labour - PES), President of the European Parliament´s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights, to discuss the case of Mehdi K. who was retuned to the UK last Friday from the Netherlands.
“I trust that the UK government will do the right thing in relation to Mehdi,” Mr. Cashman said this morning.
Mehdi K. is the 19 years old gay Iranian citizen whose asylum request was turned down by the United Kingdom.
After fearing for his life, he fled to Netherlands and sought asylum there. Following EU rules (Dublin Regulation) he was sent back to the UK, the Member State where he first applied for asylum.
On March 13, the European Parliament voted in favour of a resolution appealing to the Member States involved to find a common solution to ensure that Mehdi K. is granted asylum or protection on EU soil and not sent back to Iran.
If deported to Iran, he risks persecution, torture and death as the Iranian authorities have already executed his partner on the sole basis of his homosexuality.
Source: --->UK Gay News click here<---
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05-04-08 18:41
Early Day Motion
EDM 1180
MEHDI KAZEMI AND THE TREATMENT OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN IRAN 12.03.2008
Abbott, Diane
That this House is concerned by the case of Iranian teenager Mehdi Kazemi who is currently living in Holland; notes reports that Mr Kazemi's boyfriend was forced by Iranian authorities to denounce other gay men, including Mr Kazemi himself; is appalled at reports that Mr Kazemi's boyfriend was then hanged for the offence of homosexuality; believes that Mr Kazemi's life is in serious danger if he were returned to Iran; further notes that the Dutch authorities have rejected Mr Kazemi's appeal for asylum in Holland and are likely to deport him to the UK; believes that the Home Office view that Iran is safe for homosexuals as long as they hide their sexuality is contrary to human rights standards on sexual freedom; and calls on the Government to uphold its asserted position as a supporter of human rights by refraining from sending Mr Kazemi back to Iran and near-certain human rights abuses.
Signatures April 5th.
Conservative Party
Bottomley, Peter
Evans, Nigel
Labour Party
Abbott, Diane
Anderson, Janet
Borrow, David S
Caton, Martin
Clapham, Michael
Clark, Katy
Cohen, Harry
Corbyn, Jeremy
Cryer, Ann
Dean, Janet
Dismore, Andrew
Dobson, Frank
Drew, David
Efford, Clive
Francis, Hywel
Gibson, Ian
Hoey, Kate
Hopkins, Kelvin
Jones, Lynne
Lepper, David
Marsden, Gordon
McCafferty, Chris
McDonnell, John
Purchase, Ken
Rooney, Terry
Simpson, Alan
Singh, Marsha
Stewart, Ian
Turner, Desmond
Vis, Rudi
Williams, Betty
Liberal Democrats
Breed, Colin
Cable, Vincent
Carmichael, Alistair
George, Andrew
Hancock, Mike
Harvey, Nick
Hemming, John
Horwood, Martin
Howarth, David
Hughes, Simon
Kramer, Susan
Laws, David
Leech, John
Oaten, Mark
Pugh, John
Rogerson, Daniel
Stunell, Andrew
Swinson, Jo
Teather, Sarah
Williams, Mark
Williams, Roger
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Durkan, Mark
Source: --->UK Parliament click here<---
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Jet |
31-03-08 18:59
Michael Cashman MEP speaks on Mehdi Kazemi
Source: --->YouTube click here<---
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Jet |
29-03-08 18:37
Thursday, 13 March 2008
Humanity? What happens next to Mehdi Kazemi?
I'm hugely relieved to see that the Home Secretary has agreed to review the case of Mehdi Kazemi whose threatened deportation to Iran puts him at risk of torture and execution. My colleague, the indefatigable Roger Roberts, was collecting signatures in the Lords yesterday petitioning for Mehdi to stay in the UK. Whilst I was only too pleased to add my name, I was disappointed, to say the least, not a single Conservative could be persuaded to do so.
What sort of society have we when a vulnerable young man has to appeal to the Netherlands judiciary because he can't be assured of humane treatment here?
Posted by Ros Scott at 19:08
Source: --->Baroness Scott of Needham Market click here<---
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Jet |
29-03-08 17:00
Dangerous liaisons
Friday 28 March 2008
The government should declare an immediate moratorium on the deportation of homosexuals to Iran, argues Lib Dem peer Lord Roberts
The case of Mehdi Kazemi demonstrates that a moratorium on the removal of homosexuals to Iran is the only moral course of action.
Getting agreement between politicians of different parties is not always an easy thing to do. However, on 13 March I delivered a letter to the Home Office, signed by 80 peers from all parties, calling on the home secretary to block the deportation of Mehdi Kazemi to Iran. Following this, temporary leave to remain in the UK has been granted.
The Home Office has acted appropriately in this, as indeed it has acted within the law throughout this case. However, this is not simply a legal matter but a moral one too.
While in the UK with a student visa in 2006, Mehdi received the news that his lover had been executed – hanged for his sexuality. This fate, which has been shared by an estimated 4,000 homosexuals in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, will almost certainly be the reality awaiting Mehdi if he is forced to return to Iran. So, for the last two years, Mehdi has been seeking asylum.
Asylum cases must, of course, be conducted and decided according to the law. But when we are making decisions of life or death, we must be aware of the human consequences of the cold letter of the law.
When we are dealing with a country like Iran – one which, in January alone, executed more than 30 people, including one who was lying on a stretcher at the time – we must not make deportations lightly.
Iran is a country where execution can be carried out by stoning and dictates that the stones be large enough to cause pain, but not so large as to kill immediately. [The method of execution is for the judge to decide]. This is the law of Iran.
As such, we cannot turn to the law of Iran to guide us in this matter. Can we turn to international law? UN safeguards guaranteeing protection rights for those facing the death penalty, clarified in resolution 2005/59 of the Commission on Human Rights, are clear that the death penalty should not be imposed for non-violent acts such as sexual relations between consenting adults.
This offers a clear guideline for action in such cases. Considering that Iran has not adhered to this resolution, we ought not to deport homosexuals to a country where we know they are likely to be executed. This is a matter of avoiding a breach in international law, but more than that it is a matter of not sending a 19-year-old man, who has hurt nobody, to the gallows.
Amnesty International has called for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty in Iran, to be followed by its wholesale abolition. However, this appears exceedingly unlikely.
In this case, there is only one ethical course of action for the British government to take. That is a moratorium on removals to Iran for all those who fear execution. Indeed, the Home Office has gone some way to acknowledge such a principle. Its guidance reads: ‘Where an individual claimant demonstrates that their homosexual acts have brought them to the attention of the authorities to the extent that on return to Iran they will face a real risk of punishment, which will be so harsh as to amount to persecution, s/he should be granted refugee status as a member of a particular social group.’
In the case of a young man whose boyfriend has been hanged, it is reasonable to assume that he is at risk of the most extreme persecution. However, the government needs to go further and side with both ethics and international law on this matter, and declare a moratorium on the removal of homosexuals to Iran.
Lord Roberts of Llandudno speaks on international development for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords
Source: --->Law Gazette click here<---
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29-03-08 14:22
Now MPs join fight to save Mehdi Kazemi
By Robert Verkaik, Law Editor
Saturday, 29 March 2008
MPs from all three main political parties have joined peers to call for a moratorium on the deportation of asylum-seekers to Iran. The move follows a letter published in The Independent yesterday, in which 17 peers urged the Government to rethink asylum policy in the wake of the case of a gay teenager facing execution if deported to Iran.
A second letter signed by seven MPs, including Chris Huhne (Liberal Democrat), Andrew Dismore (Labour) and John Bercow (Conservative), says ministers have a moral duty to halt the deportation of any Iranian fearing persecution if returned to the state.
The parliamentarians of both Houses have been struck by the case of Mehdi Kazemi, 19, who claimed asylum in Britain in 2006 when he found out his former partner had been executed for sodomy. The Home Office rejected his application but after a public outcry finally agreed this month to reconsider his case.
Simon Hughes, MP for Southwark North and Bermondsey and president of the Liberal Democrats, organised the Commons letter. He said: "The Lords' letter about the Mehdi Kazemi case shows growing awareness that sending asylum-seekers back to countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe is unacceptable because of the risk to their safety and the abhorrent behaviour of those regimes."
Last week Diane Abbott, Labour MP for Hackney, tabled an early day motion in support of Mr Kazemi. She said yesterday: "It is not sufficient to implement laws to protect oppressed groups without giving protection to asylum-seekers in the same groups from different countries."
Source: --->The Independent click here<---
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29-03-08 03:06
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28-03-08 16:41
Lord Roberts of Llandudno: There is only one ethical course for the British Government
Friday, 28 March 2008
On 13 March, I delivered a letter to the Home Office signed by 80 peers from all parties calling on the Home Secretary to block the deportation of Mehdi Kazemi. Following this, temporary leave to remain has been granted.
Iran is a country where the penal code prescribes execution by stoning and dictates the stones be large enough to cause pain but not so large as to kill immediately. This is the law of Iran. As such we cannot turn to the law of Iran to guide us. Can we turn to international law?
The UN safeguards guaranteeing protection rights for those facing the death penalty, clarified in Resolution 2005/59 of the Commission on Human Rights, says clearly the death penalty should not be imposed for non-violent acts such as sexual relations between consenting adults.
This does offer a clear guideline for action. Considering Iran has not adhered to the resolution, we ought not to deport homosexuals to a country where we know they are likely to be executed.
This is a matter of avoiding a breach of international law but, more than that, it is a matter of not sending a 19-year-old man, who has hurt nobody, to his death.
There is only one ethical course of action for the British government to take. A moratorium on removals to Iran for all those who fear execution. Indeed, the Home Office has gone some way to acknowledge such a principle. In its own guidance, its says that where anyone demonstrates their homosexual acts have brought them to the attention of the authorities so they face persecution they should be granted refugee status.
The Government will be aware that, since the ayatollahs came to reign in Iran, humanitarian organisations tell us that 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed in that country. What representations have Her Majesty's Government made and what representations do they continue to make about that policy? Can ministers assure us on behalf of the Government that no one, gay or otherwise, will be deported to any country where they will be persecuted, tortured or executed?
Lord Roberts of Llandudno is a Liberal Democrat peer
Source: www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/lord-roberts-of-llandudno- there-is-only-one-ethical-course-for-the-british-government-801744.html
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28-03-08 16:26
Asylum: the peers' revolt
Their Lordships speak out: deportations to Iran must end
By Robert Verkaik, Law Editor
Friday, 28 March 2008
Britain must radically change its immigration policy and end immediately the deportation of failed asylum-seekers who fear persecution in Iran, a group of leading peers will tell the Government today.
The call for a moratorium on asylum removals is a direct response to the plight of Mehdi Kazemi, a gay Iranian teenager facing execution if he returns to Iran, whose case has been taken up by The Independent.
In a letter written to this newspaper, 17 members of the House of Lords say the case of Mr Kazemi demonstrates a change of policy is now the "only moral course" for the Government to follow.
And in a stark warning on capital punishment in Iran, the Lords report that, in January alone, more than 30 prisoners were executed for a range of offences deemed criminal by the Middle East state.
The campaign for a more compassionate asylum policy has also been taken up in the House of Commons, where 46 MPs have signed an early day motion demanding that the Government "asserts its position as a supporter of human rights" by granting Mr Kazemi sanctuary. The peers' letter, signed by – among others – the film director David Puttnam, the former Commons speaker Betty Boothroyd, and the human rights barrister Helena Kennedy QC, comes the day after a damning report into Britain's immigration system which described the treatment of refugees in this country as "shameful."
Jonathan Cox, coordinator of the Independent Asylum Commission, discusses their interim findings as part of the citizen’s review of the asylum system in the UK, and why they feel that the system is still not fit for purpose.
That report, published by the Independent Asylum Commission, led by a former senior judge, said the immigration policy denied sanctuary to some refugees who were in genuine need of help.
Human rights groups believe the Lords' letter and yesterday's report mark a key moment in government thinking on asylum which they hope will lead to a radical overhaul of the list of countries considered too dangerous for asylum-seekers to be deported to. Asylum rights campaigners also hope such a significant intervention will lead to a broader moratorium on deportations to all countries with poor or questionable human rights records, not just Iran.
But the Lords believe Mr Kazemi's case is of such grave concern they must act to change British asylum policy on Iran first.
"The case of Mehdi Kazemi demonstrates that a moratorium on the removal of those who could face persecution, torture or execution in Iran is the only moral course of action," the peers write in their letter.
Mr Kazemi is still being held in an immigration detention centre in the Netherlands from where he is expected to be transferred to the UK in the next few days. He moved to Britain in 2005 to study English in London and Brighton. But, while he was here, he discovered that his former boyfriend had been executed for sodomy and his own life was in danger because he had been named as the man's lover.
Mr Kazemi's family, some of whom have lived in the United Kingdom for more than 30 years, urged him to claim asylum. But, last year, the Home Office rejected his application forcing him to flee to the Netherlands.
His case provoked a public outcry and, this month, the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, agreed to reconsider his claim.
Speaking from an immigration detention centre in Rotterdam last week, Mr Kazemi said he still feared for his future. "I know what Jacqui Smith has said about my case and that, of course, is a good thing. But I know what this Government can do to me. They tried to take me at Christmas two years ago when everyone was away, even my lawyer."
It was only the intervention of his MP, the Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes, that prevented his deportation. In an 11th-hour appeal, Mr Hughes persuaded the Home Office to halt the deportation so he could look into the case.
Announcing the decision to rehear Mr Kazemi's case, Ms Smith said: "I have decided Mr Kazemi's case should be reconsidered on his return to the UK."
In their letter the Lords say: "We welcome the decision of the Home Secretary to look again at Mr Kazemi's case and to reconsider the original decision to refuse him asylum in the United Kingdom. The Home Office have acted appropriately in this, as indeed they have acted within the law throughout this case.
"However, this is not simply a legal matter but a moral one too... when we are making decisions of life or death, we must be aware of the human consequences of the cold letter of the law."
In response to an earlier plea by 70 peers to grant Mr Kazemi asylum, Ms Smith defended the Home Office record.
She said in a letter seen by The Independent: "I can assure you the Government is committed to providing protection for those individuals found to be genuinely in need in accordance with our commitments under international law.
"The Home Office Country of Origin Information Service closely monitors the human rights situation in all the countries that generate asylum-seekers to the UK, including Iran. It provides accurate, objective, sourced and up-to-date information."
She added "The published Country Reports are updated on a rolling basis and are compiled from a wide range of external information sources including the United Nations High Commission for Refugees World Health Organisation, human rights organisations, news media and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
"The current Home Office Iran Country Report was published on 31 January 2008 and includes a specific section on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Persons."
The case of Mehdi Kazemi
Mehdi Kazemi came to Britain in 2005 to study English at a college in Brighton. But although the young Iranian had settled well into British life he always intended returning home to Tehran. In April 2006 he received a telephone call from his father who told him Medhi's former boyfriend had been executed. He had been interrogated by the state police authorities and named Medhi as his partner. Fearing for his life if he returned to Iran, Mehdi claimed asylum in Britain. But last year his case was refused. He fled to the Netherlands where he was detained in an immigration centre. A Dutch court ordered him to be returned to the UK, where the Home Secretary agreed to reconsider his case. In an open letter to Jacqui Smith, Mehdi said: "I cannot stop my attraction towards men. This is something that I will have to live with the rest of my life. If I return to Iran I will be arrested and executed."
--->Letter Peers pdf.file click here<---
Source: --->The Independent click here<---
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