back... - Shout!

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Nigerian gay man at risk of deportationOlalekan M Ayelokun (pictured) - Ola tohis friends - is a gay Nigerian, living inBradford, who sought asylum in the UKbut is currently at risk of being returnedto Nigeria where gay men are put todeath under Sharia law or imprisoned forup to 14 years.Jason, a friend of Ayelokun, says: ‘Olahas been detained by the Home Officeand is set to be deported by them so weare desperate to save him. Ola's extraditionthreat is despite the ConDem’spledge that: “We will stop the deportationof asylum seekers who have had toleave particular countries because theirsexual orientation,” and is also in directcontradiction to David Cameron's statementin 2010 that “those Africans seekingasylum on the basis of sexual orientationand at real risk of persecution in theirhome countries should be allowed tostay in the UK”.’Ayelokun was refused asylum on the30th March 2012 at Phoenix House IACimmigration court by Judge Safffer whoclaimed he was ‘…satisfied that he (Ola)has simply done this (had sex with men)in order to fabricate a claim of homosexualityand not because he has any genuinehomosexual feelings...’This was despite witnesses attending thehearing who know the defendant is a gayman and gave evidence that they had socialisedwith him as a gay man for overa year and had previously had sexual relationswith him.This ruling indicates that even if video orphotographic evidence of the defendanthaving sexual relations with men hadbeen presented, this would not havebeen deemed sufficient evidence of homosexualityand this ruling thereforecalls into question the government’s currentpolicies and the application of thelaw when it comes to gay asylum in theUK.The media are now taking an interest inAyelokun’s story with articles appearingin both local (Telegraph & Argus) & national(Mirror) newspapers.Jason continues: ‘We have also so far hadsupport from various organisations suchas the Red Cross, MESMAC, BEACONand individuals such as Peter Tatchell andDavid Ward MP.‘Also it's only a small thing and just takesa few moments of your time but wewould be forever greatful if you couldpersonally join our Facebook group toshow your support and sign our petition.Please also share these links on yourFacebook wall and tweet if you can.’The petition can be found atwww.change.org/petitions/uk-government-prevent-deportation-of-gay-nigerian-asylum-seeker-olalekan-m-ayelokunand the Facebook page can be found bysearching for ‘Olalekan M Ayelokun’.‘Thank you in advance for your support,’says Jason. ‘It will make a big differenceif only in showing Ola that people arethinking of him.’The free, fast, flexible, confidential andconvenient way for you to get an HIV testin Leeds, and coming soon to Bradford,Wakefield and North Yorkshire.Contact your local office for details.To arrange an HIV test orfor more information call:Leeds 0113 2444209Bradford 01274 395815Wakefield 01924 211116York 01904 6204006
No going <strong>back</strong>...continued from front coverSHOUT!it out this Christmas‘Without this service,’ says Loftus, ‘LGBTasylum seekers would be silenced andwould face the UK legal system alone. Bysupporting this fundraising event you aregiving these people a voice and an opportunityto tell their story of the true costof love.’Over 70 countries have laws criminalisingsame-sex acts. Five of these countrieshave the death penalty for same-sex acts.Because of this, many people come tothe UK to claim asylum so that they canbe who they are without the fear of violence,prison or death.Check out www.theotherguide.org formore info.Equity Centre classesDon’t forget that, as mentioned lastmonth, Bradford’s Equity Centre is runningyoga, healthy cooking and womenonlydefence classes over the next fewmonths.Yoga takes place every Friday eveninguntil December 21st; healthy cookingstarts on Wednesday October 17th from1.40pm-2.45pm, weekly; and women’sself-defence starts on Saturday October13th, from 10am-11.30am and lasts forsix weeks.For more details, check out www.equitypartnership.org.uk- or contact Jakebon 01274 727779/727759 or by email atjake@equitypartnership.org.ukAN ALTERNATIVE TO THE SCENELEEDS GAY COMMUNITYSocial Group for Gay and Bisexual Men since 1982We meet every Friday at 7.45pm at aconvenient venue in central Leeds. Other events too!In fact about eighty opportunities to socialise each year.Tell queer Yorkshire all aboutyour Christmas and New Yearevents, hours and specials withan advert in the Novemberor December/Januaryissues of <strong>Shout</strong>!Email us atshout.magazine@ntlworld.comfor details of our specialChristmas prices!Details on 07986 615 912 (mobile) or 0113 255 9973 (Raymond),email contacts@leeds-gay-community.org.ukwebsite www.leeds-gay-community.org.ukor write LGC, c/o PO Box 417, Leeds LS1 5PN7
Page 1 and 2: Yorkshire’s lesbian, gay, bisexua
Page 3 and 4: SHOUT!Yorkshire’s queer paperIssu
Page 5: Gentlewomen of the roadAs part of t
Page 9 and 10: I am under the train!We can't get e
Page 11 and 12: Don’t suffer in silence!Free prof

back... - Shout!

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?