Gay Iranian Fights For Asylum In Europe
19-Year-Old Man's Plea Initially Rejected By U.K., Says Boyfriend Executed In Iran
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Blindfolded Mahmoud Asgari, 16, left, and another unidentified teenager are set to be publicly hanged, in Mashhad, Iran, on charges of raping boys in this photo taken on July 19, 2005. Adovcacy groups say homosexuality is often punished by execution in Iran. (AP Photo)
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In a ruling published on its Web site Tuesday, the Council of State said Britain is responsible for Mehdi Kazemi's case, because it was there that the 19-year-old first applied for asylum.
Gay rights campaigner Rene van Soeren said Kazemi's Dutch lawyer was considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. The lawyer, Borg Palm, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Boris van der Ham, a lawmaker who has taken up Kazemi's cause, has tabled questions in Parliament asking the junior minister for immigration, Nebahat Albayrak, to lobby British authorities on Kazemi's behalf.
Albayrak should either urge Britain not to send Kazemi back to Iran or offer him asylum in the Netherlands, Van der Ham said in a telephone interview.
"There should be some political leadership," he said. "I hope in Britain they will do it and otherwise we should take the boy."
Kazemi is not expected to be deported before Albayrak has answered Van der Ham's questions.
Justice Ministry spokeswoman Karen Temmink said Albayrak is studying the court ruling and drawing up answers to Van der Ham's questions.
Kazemi's case highlights not only the plight of homosexuals in Iran, but also differences in the way European Union allies deal with asylum seekers.
The Netherlands relaxes its tough asylum laws for Iranian gays - virtually guaranteeing asylum to any who apply here - because of persecution they face at home. Britain, on the other hand, rejected Kazemi's original asylum request.
Kazemi, 19, says he traveled to London to study English in 2005 and applied for asylum in Britain after learning that his lover in Iran had been executed for sodomy.
After British authorities rejected Kazemi's application, he fled to mainland Europe and applied for asylum in the Netherlands.
We examine with great care each individual case before removal and we will not remove anyone who we believe is at risk on their return.
U.K. Border and Immigration AgencyTuesday's court ruling upheld the Dutch position.
Palm said last week that Kazemi was in such despair he was on suicide watch in a center for rejected asylum seekers in the port city of Rotterdam.
Britain's Home Office has declined comment, saying it does not discuss individual asylum applications, but it is unlikely authorities would reverse their earlier rejection.
However, Britain's Border and Immigration Agency has issued a statement that could give Kazemi hope.
"We examine with great care each individual case before removal and we will not remove anyone who we believe is at risk on their return," the agency said.
Matteo Pegoraro, president of the Italian-based gay rights group EveryOne, which is lobbying for Kazemi, has said he knows of 10 gay people executed in Iran since 2005, based on reports from nongovernment groups and activists.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



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Thank God for Separation of church and State.
Thank God for Separation of church and State.
Posted by Quetzal0666
Sorry there is no separation of church and state. It says it in the first amendment. Only Congress is prohibited from creating a church state. And if it hasn''t happened in America for over 200 years, I don''t think it''s gonna happen now dolt. See, that''s why people hate people like you. Always picking on the christians. Ugh! Maybe you should turn your attention to muslim teachings that preach this kind of tyranny.
Posted by singinrick
Maybe Mayor Newsom can petition for him to come as an illegal. I hear he''s very big on sanctuaries for illegals. Probably the same for gay Iranians.
AND IF MONSTER HILLARY GETS IN, SECRET-REPUBE GIRL FONDLER.
WHAT A PERVERTED SOCIETY SINCE BILL CLINTON AND GEORGE BUSH HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE.
people like mudrose and singinchick
grew up only looking through ''Waltons" Colored Glasses,
they pick and choose what they want, and disreguard the rest as necessary because its in the bible,
thing is, its their interpretation of it,
and if you question or disagree, then youre evil, blasphemer, etc.
i was called a child of satan just yesterday..
LOL......
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Posted by singinrick
OMG the moral majority has spoken - Rick when your closet sparkles only then does your opinion count. All you do is troll these message boards fighting with atheist, muslims and anything to do with homosexuality because you have a fascination with it.....
What a hypocrite.....rick
That man has every right to seek asylum - and from the likes of morons on this board probably has more redeeming qualities than mud and rick combined! I missed that bible verse where it said the infallable like slickrick and mud can judge and send sinners to hell.
The Christian Right eroding our country into the depths of hell one day at a time.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:11 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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HE didn''t run for OFFICE you Pathetic Nazi!! I''ll tell you one thing, I''ve stood accross from a bunch of Southern Baptist all decked out in their Hoods and Sheets and THEY fully intended to do to a couple of Blacks what these freaks in the picture are doing to those kids. Let''s not get so Self Rightous here! Sieg Heil Bush!!
You''''re psychotic dictatorship won''''t work in our country pal.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:14 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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THAT''s BECAUSE YOU ARE A NAZI for Gods sake. Tell you what Sparky! I''ll take 12 or so of YOUR post to any independent Political Scientist in GERMANY and debate the issue of IF you are a FASCIST with him anytime. YOU want ONE PARTY, ONE VIEW, ONE RELIGION... EVERYone has freedoms as long as it''s within YOUR rules.. It''s called FASCISM Ricky and it''s been that for a long long time. Sieg Heil Bush!!
You need some serious medical attention. FAST.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:20 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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Well I made the offer. Now either be man enough to accept it or shut up. It''s not MY fault you aren''t willing to extend to your fellow citizens the SAME rights you want. YOU want to practice your religion.. well HAVE AT IT! Go charm a snake or do a chant or whatever you want. ALL I ask is that I do not have to "enjoy" it with you. WHAT you and the Religious Reich are practicing TODAY with the Republican Party is NO DIFFERENT than what you were doing to Dixiecrats in the 60''s. It''s called FASCISM!! Sieg Heil Bush!!
Freedom doesn''''t mean anarchy.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:23 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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THOSE rights are outlined in the Constitution. That document SAYS as loudly as it can be said that I have as much right to MY religious Beliefs as YOU do. It also says that YOU have no right to invade or interfer in MY religion. Now if YOU can''t be an American and allow my rights to my religion then we are going to fight. Now IF you can give me a reason as a HUMAN BEING why I should go along with your views, let''s talk. This pretending you are better or more Moral than me because YOU read the bible?? YOU WILL leave that at home or I''ll continue to tell you the TRUTH! Sieg Heil Bush!
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Posted by ritewingman at 12:27 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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You know this how? You Childish Nazi''s are pathetic. You don''t have the intelligence to debate an issue so??? You have to pretend you are superior to me. How do you do that? YOU pretend I''m part of some group that YOU think everyone will hate. It''s called FASCISM you rediculous bootlicker! God you freaks are so stupid!! ROFLAMO Most of us grew out of this when we were 12! Sieg Heil Bush!! You really aren''t the sharpest tool in the old shed are you there swastika breath??? ROFLMAO
You might want to, but WE DON''''T.
Seeing articles like this is simply a reminder of how great our country the USA is and how homosexuals, among others, take our freedoms for granted because they aren''''t getting everything THEY WANT.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:28 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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My friend IF you would READ books instead of burning them you''d know WE did as bad or worse in this nation. Guess who brought us out of those bad old times? Hang on to yourself there Ricky... that''s right LIBERALS!! YOU know the people YOU are so bigoted about. SIEG HEIL and AMEN
Posted by ritewingman at 12:27 PM : Mar 12, 2008"
Take it easy on him, he lost a lot of buddies in the war on that fatal mission over Macho Grande, under Lt. Striker.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:29 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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I think we should LIVE by our Constitution you nazi! It says as loud and as clear as it can be said that I should be able to run for the office of President and NO ONE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT MY RELIGION!! It says as clearly as BLOOD can write it you MORON that I have a right to run for the office WITHOUT you requiring me to be ANY religion. Remember Kennedy?? Sieg Heil Bush
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Posted by underdogus at 12:32 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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IF you Nazi''s would pay attention and LISTEN to the other people in this world you''d know that we are telling them, every day. It just does little good when they can point to OUR OWN and say well don''t tell us to get Religion out of OUR government when you have religious leaders calling YOUR congress back into cession. Kinda looses it''s punch at that point don''t you think?? Sieg Heil Bush
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Posted by singinrick at 12:34 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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You think YOU can make laws requiring Morals? ROFLMAO Exactly WHO is going to write such laws? ROFLMAO WHO amoung us has THAT ability? I''ll tell you what MY father told a snake oil salesman who came to our door once. "Your job as a Congressman is to make sure this nation run''s efficiently enough until I can make a living on a 40 hour week and I''ll take care of MY families values". Where the HELLL do you get off telling me what MY morals are to be?? Sieg HEil Bush
How can a society function without absolute morals, laws, and principles in place?
Posted by singinrick
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True. As it stands, are we a society at all? There is no "gay community", anyone who thinks otherwise is too blind*... but on a similar note, despite "corporate personage", there are corporate leaders who find clever means to circumvent said rules too.
* I used to be, and discovered there was not. So nobody has the right to say "Don''t knock it until you tried it". Even then, I still didn''t try some things because they were disgusting, and for other reasons it''s said to be a "no-no" in the first place because, quite possibly, someone else tried it and found it to be wrong too. ;)
A society CANNOT, I REPEAT CANNOT sustain itself without Absolute Morals, Laws, and Guidelines in place.
This is COMMON SENSE.
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Posted by singinrick at 12:37 PM : Mar 12, 2008
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Well if YOU insist on continuing to decide what is or isn''t moral for me then we are going to fight as we always have. I''ve fought you freaks my entire life and will continue to do so as long as I live. You just keep losing ground though. Just think about how people today view you "Religious Conservatives" (I love that play on words there...) of my teenage days. That''s how YOU are going to be viewed Sparky. Now ask yourself how many of THOSE born again types who KNEW they were superior, are in Heaven today? Hummm?? Sieg Heil Bush... Gotta go but I will return!!
yeah AUTHORITY and hot meds....
-Is robbing a bank "moral" MCVet?
-Is raping "moral" MCVet?
-Is pedophiling "moral" MCVet?
-Is kidnapping "moral" MCVet?
All these things involve non-compliant others. Society does have an interest in prohibiting such behavior. What one consenting adult does with another consenting adult should not be the business of the law.
we need to send these guys to san francisco to personally thank those thousands of its citizens for thier support to the islamic cause...
I cant wait till the DNC takes the white house...time to blend radical islam and radical liberalism together..
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