Home Office knew Rwanda was refusing LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in 2022, report claims
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An investigative report has revealed that the Home Office was aware almost two years ago that Rwanda was refusing LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. The report comes as the UK government plans to send asylum seekers who enter the country “illegally” to Rwanda under new legislation. The evidence, sent to the Home Office by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) in March 2022, highlighted the difficulties faced by queer asylum seekers in Rwanda.
According to the report by openDemocracy, Home Office papers also showed that the department was warned about the torture and abuse faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Rwanda. The publication claims that the Rwandan government had received five asylum claims related to sexuality between 2019 and November 30, 2023. Three of these individuals were offered interviews but left the country before the interviews took place, while one person was refused entry. A transgender person was granted refugee status in April 2022.
However, just two months later, the UNHRC informed the Home Office that the transgender person granted refugee status had been placed in a camp that the UNHCR considered inappropriate for them. It is unclear whether this refers to the same individual. The evidence suggests that LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in Rwanda have previously faced immediate verbal rejections from officials, who stated that Rwanda is not the place for them or that the country does not deal with such issues.
The UNHRC did acknowledge that Rwanda allowed two LGBTQ+ individuals to have their cases heard, but stated that the sample size is too small and recent to draw any conclusions about whether Rwandan practices toward LGBTQ+ asylum seekers have changed. The agency also highlighted that the asylum-seeker interviews conducted by 10 officials are so brief that individuals have no adequate opportunity to explain their claims.
The report further reveals that the Rwandan government did not provide any reasons for refusing over 100 asylum claims in 2022. Robbie de Santos, the director of communications and external affairs at Stonewall, commented on the findings, stating that they provide further evidence that the UK government’s asylum policy is illegal, unworkable, and fails to protect LGBTQ+ asylum seekers or consider their needs.
Despite a Supreme Court ruling last year that deemed the Rwanda plan illegal, MPs voted on Tuesday night to back a bill that would override that verdict and declare Rwanda a safe country for asylum seekers. The bill will now move to the House of Lords for further debate and voting.
Leila Zadeh, the executive director at Rainbow Migration, a charity supporting LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, highlighted that the government’s own evidence shows that Rwanda is a dangerous place for the queer community. Zadeh expressed concern about the safety of LGBTQ+ individuals if they are sent to Rwanda, stating that it is a country where they face discrimination, violence, and abuse. She described it as “abhorrently cruel” to send people who have sought safety in the UK to a place where they have no community and where their lives may be in danger.
In response to the report, a Home Office spokesperson stated that Rwanda’s constitution includes a broad prohibition on discrimination and does not criminalize or discriminate against sexual orientation in law, policy, or practice. They assured that everyone considered for relocation will be screened and have access to legal advice. Caseworkers will thoroughly assess the credibility of each claim on its individual merit, and no relocations will be made if individuals are at risk.
This new report raises serious concerns about the UK government’s plan to send LGBTQ+ asylum seekers to Rwanda. The evidence presented by the UNHRC suggests that these individuals may face discrimination, violence, and abuse in the country. As the bill progresses through parliament, it is crucial that lawmakers carefully consider the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers before making any decisions. The priority must be to protect these vulnerable individuals and ensure that they are not sent to a place where their lives may be in danger.
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