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TO: The European Parliament,
European Political
Parties,
Humanitarian Organizations, International Press
URGENT
Dear
Sir/Madam,
We are writing to draw your
attention to the case of a 40-year-old gay Iranian man,
identified here as Alex, who is about to be expelled from
Greece and deported back to Iran. As is well known and
documented, gay people in Iran are subjected to persecution
and severe punishment, including execution. If Alex returns to
Iran, Greece will be committing a serious miscarriage of
justice and a gross violation of human rights.
Alex (his real name and identity are
known to our organization) used to live a fully respected life
in Iran. He is a member of a rich Iranian family and used to
have a respectful job in Iran. In 1999 he was visited at his
workplace by an ex-schoolmate who knew Alex was gay and who
was probably a member of the government party. After that
visit, Alex was arrested by the religion police and kept in
the Jankal jail at the Iranian town of Rast for 45 days.
Alex was tortured at Jankal. He was
beaten systematically with lashing straps in his back and
kidneys and afterwards was put in water in order to not
develop ecchymosis and edema. He was beaten several times in
the face, losing three teeth as a result. He had his testicles
twisted, was submitted to bastinado and had salt poured on his
open wounds. He was put twice in mock execution.
After spending forty-five days in
jail, his family paid to get him out so that he could attend
the funeral of his mother. The police took him to the funeral
in women’s clothes.
While out of jail, Alex managed to escape. A few days
later, he arrived to Greece by way of Turkey in a terrible
condition.
He went to the General
Administration office of the police and applied for political
asylum based on the torture he had been submitted to in Iran.
The application was rejected. In 2003, Alex submitted a second
application for political asylum stating that he was
homosexual and had a relationship with a Greek man, Phoebos
(his real name and identity are known to our organization),
who also testified that he was Alex’s partner. (Alex and
Phoebos are still together today). However, this application
was also rejected. (Alex’s file in the Ministry of Public
Order is YDT 95/43303; his file in the Asylum Department of
the Home Office is 12206/38647).
Now Alex’s case is to be discussed
in front of the Supreme Council, which is scheduled to decide
for a definitive resolution regarding his status as a refugee
on March 11, 2008.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Alex’s deportation to Iran will constitute a
violation of the articles 3 and 15 of the International
Convention of the Human Rights, co-signed and validated by
Greece.
We need your
strong support in order to prevent the Greek state from
violating the international law and the human rights of a
person whose life is in danger because of his sexuality.
We would be more than happy to
provide further information on the case.
Thank you for your time and
consideration. We look forward to your response and immediate
action.
Yours
sincerely,
The Members of
the Greek Homosexual Community (G.H.C.-ΕΟΚ)
Contact:
General Secretary of GHC-EOK Marina Galanou
Greek
Homosexual Community, EOK
(Member
of: ILGA, ILGYO, All Different-all Equal)
Antoniadou
6 str., Athens, Attica, PC 10434, Greece
Tel. (0030)210.8826600 Fax.
(0030)210.8826898
Mobile: (0030)6949295041
http://www.gayhomes.net/eok/ & http://www.eok.gr
info@eok.gr
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