Under strong pressure of COC Netherlands
Netherlands stops expulsion homosexual asylum seekers to Iran28/07/2005

 

Netherlands stops expulsion homosexual asylum seekers to Iran
Under strong pressure of COC Netherlands which were followed by questions from the Democratic party D66, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Office (IND)has decided to stop expulsion of homosexual asylum seekers to Iran immediately. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to start a thorough investigation to the position of homosexuals in Iran, after which the Country Report will possibly be adjusted. The IND will wait for the results of this report before taking further decissions on the expulsion of homosexual asylum seekers from Iran.

Important decision
Chairman Frank van Dalen from COC Netherlands: “This is an important decision; while we were asking for attention for the executions, and many signed our petition, on Airport Schiphol an Iranian asylum seeker awaited his expulsion. This expulsion would have taken place this or next week. The homosexual man had been able to escape Iran in the late nineties. The Iranian court had called him to justify his visit to a gay party in front of the court. He has escaped, unlike his boyfriend who was hung in the late nineties. The official reading is that he was prosecuted for smuggling. If the IND now irrefutable declares this man homosexual, he will be saved from this destiny.”

Continues pressure
COC Netherlands will internationally call for attention for the changed position of the IND. Van Dalen: “In other European countries Iranian homosexual asylum seekers are also waiting for their expulsion to Iran. We must save their lives as well.” COC Netherlands closely follows the adjustments made in the Country Report on Iran. This should give clarity in future asylum cases. Besides COC retains its demand for sanctions to Iran, as well retains its demand that Europe suspends the negotiations on the Associative Treaty with Iran.
COC
 

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