THE LGBTIQ Greens group wishes to express its anger at the UK Border Authority and Home Office at the news of the death last Friday of lesbian asylum seeker, Jackie Nanyonjo, following her deportation from Yarls Wood detention centre to Uganda in January. It is with grave concern that we note yet another asylum seeker's death in the process of being deported back to their country of origin.
Homosexuality is illegal in 80 countries around the world, whilst violence and persecution from state authorities and communities without recourse to protection prevails in many more. In addition, LGBT people seeking asylum in the UK are put through the humiliation of having to prove their sexual orientation to the authorities. Jackie faced significant danger to her life in Uganda, yet the UK Border Authority refused her amnesty and then has not safely transported her to country of origin.
Siobhan MacMahon, Green Party LGBTIQ Spokesperson, was quoted as saying "We demand an immediate amnesty for all LGBTIQ people seeking asylum and appeal to the Home Office to ensure safe haven and refugee status for LGBTIQ people fleeing persecution from violently homophobic and transphobic countries."
"We also demand urgent review of how failed asylum seekers are returned to their home country, especially the use of dangerous forms of restraint, and a moratorium on all such deportations until these processes are changed.
"Furthermore, we support activists and others working to change attitudes and legislation in their home countries. Jackie Nanyonjo is not the first LGBTIQ asylum seeker to be deported to her death, and is sadly unlikely to be the last."
"We urge people to attend the protest in response to Jackie's death, which will be taking place outside the Home Office, on Thursday 14th March at 12.30pm, to ensure this tragedy is brought to the attention of those with the power to prevent this from happening again."