US Presidential Candidates Shame Gordon Brown Over Gay Teen's Asylum Case
Monday 28th April 2008
Things may be bad for British Prime Ministers on occasion, but generally they can always count on at least one staunch ally, the President of the United States.
Presidential hopeful Barack Obama pointed out flaws in the Home Office's policies on LGBT asylum seekers. Image by Marc Nozell.
Gordon Brown, however, may have a bit of a problem with his friendliest international politician chum should a Democrat be elected this November. One in particular is very unhappy with his policies on asylum for gay and lesbian refugees.
Hillary Clinton took a shot at the struggling Labour leader recently over his government’s inept handling of the case of Mehdi Kamezi. Kamezi is a gay asylum seeker from Iran who the government ordered deported to his homeland, despite an almost certain death awaiting him because of his sexuality.
New York Senator Hillary Clinton vowed to keep an eye on Kamezi's case. Image by Roger H. Goun.
Clinton condemned the policy of deporting LGBT asylum seekers to places they will face persecution. The head of Clinton’s national security team for her campaign has warned that the New York Senator is keeping a close eye on the Kamezi situation in the UK.
Both Hillary and Obama were asked to weigh in on the situation by human rights activists. In shocking news, both agreed that sending LGBT teenagers to their death was indeed wrong. Clinton has publicly announced she’ll continue watching Brown’s actions. Step wisely, Prime Minister. She looks like a tough one. Certainly tougher than you, anyway.
Meanwhile, Obama’s camp released a statement supporting LGBT equality and describing the measures the junior Senator from Illinois would take to ensure that equality if he were elected.
The statement read: "The United States and countries around the world have both a legal and a moral obligation to protect victims of persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
"Under an Obama administration, the United States will lead by setting a strong example, which includes making clear that asylum for persecuted people is a bedrock principle of American and international law. Moreover, Obama will exert diplomatic pressure and employ other foreign policy tools to encourage other nations to address human rights abuses and atrocities committed against LGBT men and women."
Because of massive amounts of international pressure the Home Office has elected to reconsider sending Kamezi to be executed in Iran. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Following representations made on behalf of Mehdi Kazemi, and in the light of new circumstances since the original decision was made, I have decided that Mr Kazemi's case should be reconsidered on his return to the UK from the Netherlands."
The UK government has been accused of swallowing the Iranian line that all those gay men they were executing were being killed for rape or other sex crimes. The government of Iran was widely condemned several years ago when it hung two gay teenagers in public for the crime of being gay.
Presidential hopeful Barack Obama pointed out flaws in the Home Office's policies on LGBT asylum seekers. Image by Marc Nozell.
Gordon Brown, however, may have a bit of a problem with his friendliest international politician chum should a Democrat be elected this November. One in particular is very unhappy with his policies on asylum for gay and lesbian refugees.
Hillary Clinton took a shot at the struggling Labour leader recently over his government’s inept handling of the case of Mehdi Kamezi. Kamezi is a gay asylum seeker from Iran who the government ordered deported to his homeland, despite an almost certain death awaiting him because of his sexuality.
New York Senator Hillary Clinton vowed to keep an eye on Kamezi's case. Image by Roger H. Goun.
Clinton condemned the policy of deporting LGBT asylum seekers to places they will face persecution. The head of Clinton’s national security team for her campaign has warned that the New York Senator is keeping a close eye on the Kamezi situation in the UK.
Both Hillary and Obama were asked to weigh in on the situation by human rights activists. In shocking news, both agreed that sending LGBT teenagers to their death was indeed wrong. Clinton has publicly announced she’ll continue watching Brown’s actions. Step wisely, Prime Minister. She looks like a tough one. Certainly tougher than you, anyway.
Meanwhile, Obama’s camp released a statement supporting LGBT equality and describing the measures the junior Senator from Illinois would take to ensure that equality if he were elected.
The statement read: "The United States and countries around the world have both a legal and a moral obligation to protect victims of persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
"Under an Obama administration, the United States will lead by setting a strong example, which includes making clear that asylum for persecuted people is a bedrock principle of American and international law. Moreover, Obama will exert diplomatic pressure and employ other foreign policy tools to encourage other nations to address human rights abuses and atrocities committed against LGBT men and women."
Because of massive amounts of international pressure the Home Office has elected to reconsider sending Kamezi to be executed in Iran. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Following representations made on behalf of Mehdi Kazemi, and in the light of new circumstances since the original decision was made, I have decided that Mr Kazemi's case should be reconsidered on his return to the UK from the Netherlands."
The UK government has been accused of swallowing the Iranian line that all those gay men they were executing were being killed for rape or other sex crimes. The government of Iran was widely condemned several years ago when it hung two gay teenagers in public for the crime of being gay.
