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Home Secretary says 'discreet' gays safe in Iran

Deported discreet gays okay

Tuesday, 24 June 2008

It appears that government Minster’s still refuse to inhabit the real world. This week The Independent’s legal editor Robert Verkaik reported that the home secretary Jacqui Smith had written to a Liberal Democrat Peer and stated that gay and lesbian refuge-seekers can be safely deported to Iran as long as they live their lives “discreetly”.

She stated that there was no “real risk” of gay men and lesbians being discovered by the Iranian authorities or “adverse action” being taken against those who were “discreet” about their behaviour. LGBT Greens spokesperson Phelim Mac Cafferty said Smith was “trying to rubbish the argument that LGBT people are being persecuted for their sexuality in Iran. Her claim that as long as people are ‘discreet’ a regime notorious for its treatment of LGBT people will somehow stop persecuting them is misled at best – and homicidal at worst.”

Campaigning group GayAsylumUK described the remarks by the Home Secretary in the letter to Lord Roberts as being “outrageous, shameful, inhumane and anti-gay.”

All very ironic indeed considering Jacqui Smith, once Women and Equality Minister championed the Civil Partnership Act. But then when it comes to immigration figures and keeping the Daily Mail readers of this nation happy it appears equality isn’t meant for all.

www.uklgig.org.uk

www.jacquismithmp.labour.co.uk