Mehdi Kazemi granted asylum

May 20, 2008 at 9:59 pm | Posted in Asylum, Gay Rights | 1 Comment
Tags: Gay Rights, Iran, Mehdi Kazemi, Simon Hughes

Some of my more ‘veteran readers’ (i.e. the 6 people who knew I was keeping this blog), might remember an earlier post about Mehdi Kazemi, the 19-year-old Iranian teenager who sought asylum in Britain and feared he would be killed if returned to Iran (not without justification, either – his own boyfriend was killed for being gay).

Kazemi’s initial application was refused, prompting him to try the Netherlands, but when a Dutch court (correctly) decided it should be our decision in the first place, his plight became desperate, prompting the Lib Dems’  Simon Hughes and various members of the House of Lords to appeal to the Home Office to show some rarely-seen humanity.

Anyway, his case was reconsidered and today the young man heard he has been granted asylum in Britain:

The home secretary agreed to reconsider Mr Kazemi’s case in March, after his first asylum bid failed.

The UK Border Agency now says it will allow him asylum after reviewing his case.

A spokesman said: “The UK Border Agency considers each case on its individual merits and will continue to provide refuge for those asylum seekers with a genuine need for protection.

“We keep cases under review where circumstances have changed and it has been decided that Mr Kazemi should be granted leave to remain in the UK based on the particular facts of this case.”

Here’s hoping he finds a peace & freedom he was deprived of back home.