Sussex Euro-MP demands urgent review of immigration rules.

Sending gay and lesbian asylum seekers back to face persecution, imprisonment or execution in countries such as China and Iran puts the UK in breach of international law, Caroline Lucas, South-East Euro-MP and Brighton Pavilion parliamentary candidate, has warned.

The Euro-MP, who is a member of the European Parliament's cross-party LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender) group, has joined three human rights activists from Brighton and Hove in calling for a complete overhaul of the way LGBT asylum seekers are treated by the UK authorities.

"The Home Office has made great strides in recent years to eliminate racism from the way it upholds international law, but it's no exaggeration to say that 'institutional homophobia' remains rife in the asylum system," said Dr Lucas.

"Gay and lesbian asylum seekers are still regularly deported back to countries where they face persecution, punishment, torture or even execution simply because of their sexuality - indeed there are 77 countries where practising homosexuality remains a criminal offence."

The UK is a signatory of the 1951 United Nation Refugee Convention, which obliges us to grant refugee status to anyone 'fleeing a well-founded fear of state persecution' - a test easily met by any LGBT person coming from a country where their practising their sexuality is outlawed.

Dr Lucas said to bring the UK system up to scratch all asylum judges must be given clear advice from the Home Office that homophobic and transphobic persecution are legitimate grounds for granting asylum, as well as guidance on the true scale of LGBT persecution throughout the world using expert information from NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Additionally, legal aid should be me available in asylum cases, and all case officers should receive compulsory training on sexual-orientation and trans-awareness.

Dr Lucas added: "It really is time the Government started treating LGBT asylum seekers in accordance with our international legal obligations, and with some humanity and dignity.

"After all, these are people who’ve often fled persecution, rape and torture who flee to our country and our response is to lock them up like criminals."

ENDS

Note to Editors:

Dr Lucas's demands reflect those made in a petition to the Prime Minister drafted by three Brighton and Hove based human rights activists: Phelim McCafferty, Nige Tart and Green councillor Amy Kennedy. To read the petition, and sign it, visit: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/lgbtasylum/