Kiana Firouz is an Iranian lesbian film-maker, who fled to the UK. Her asylum application has just been denied.
Yes, they know she’s gay. Yes, they know she could be deported back to Iran at any time, and that if this happens, Firouz will most likely be sentenced to torture and death after being found guilty of the “unspeakable sin of homosexuality” because she has participated in explicit lesbian sex scenes in the movie, and been a fierce proponent for human rights in her country…
The denial of her application is appalling.
The EveryOne activists invite concerned readers to send protest e-mail messages to the British Home Office (public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk) requesting that Kiana receive refugee status as soon as possible, for she is a symbol of the international fight against homophobia and repression of gays and lesbians in Islamic countries.
Thanks, CR and Reel Aesthete!
Feminist Philosophers 
This is very odd and disturbing as, if the case and facts are as depicted in the linked article, this should not be a difficult case. She clearly has a well-founded fear of persecution based on her membership in a particular social group and her political opinion. (That’s the standard in the UN Refugee convention, to which the UK is a party, I believe.) Therefore, unless there are circumstances we don’t know about, this should be an easy case. I’d be very curious to know what the reasoning was here.
Matt – the UK asylum system is in utter chaos. There are any number of people who satisfy the criteria of various conventions and immigration laws, who are nevertheless deported. Sometimes as a result of mechanical mistakes – I’ve worked with people whose date for deportation falls before the date of their court case.
Matt – there are links in this post https://feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/dont-ask-dont-tell-in-fact-stay-firmly-in-the-closet/ which might help to explain the current position of the Court of Appeal… There’s a whole chain of rulings leading up to the case which is now before the UK Supreme Court, and some of them include bits of ‘expert’ testimony about whether the situation in Iran has got worse or better…
I’ve deleted some posts that violated our policies, and therefore also had to delete some responses.
Deleted? So much for freedom of speech
Our blog, our rules. You can find them under “our policies”.
There is a petition to stop her deportation on Petition Online
The CBC has a daily arts& culture show hosted by a very arty&worldly, yet humbly Canadian Persian. I thought of Jian Ghomeshi as soon as I saw this.
If I’m not such a nobody that they won’t get around to reading my email, the CBC may be interested in this. Jian does a week long spot in the UK around this time every year, too.
I hope the people at the CBC can help.
[…] I think that if the UKSC overturns the Court of Appeal ruling, it could mean the decision in Kiana Firouz’s case will have to be reconsidered. Because the UKSC is looking at two appeals together – one the […]