As the EU asylum reform took effect on Friday, the queer association LSVD+ renewed its critique. The Common European Asylum System (GEAS) expands, among other things, the list of so-called safe origin countries to include Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia — and thereby covers countries where people face up to 14 years in prison solely for their homosexuality. Tunisia even tortures alleged gays (TheColu.mn reported). The European Parliament had approved the reform in February with the votes of conservatives, right-wing populists, and extremists (TheColu.mn reported).
“The GEAS reform package raises serious human rights concerns,” said LSVD+’s national board member Alva Träbert. “In the German implementation, queer refugees must not be crushed under the wheels! Detention-like accommodations at EU external borders, a vulnerability screening by police officers, and deportations to so-called ‘safe third countries’—which, in the worst cases, can be dangerous for LSBTIAQ*, are sharply criticized.”
“In particular, the expansion of the European list of ‘safe origin states’ is rejected by the queer association. “Within the reform, it would have been possible to exempt at least LSBTIAQ*-persons from this rule in persecuting states, but the EU did not make use of this option,” lamented Träbert. “These and other countries have been declared safe for years by political decisions, even though there is no real security for queer people there.” The designation as a so-called “safe origin state” means an accelerated asylum procedure, “which affects queer people particularly hard,” the critique notes. “Especially when sexual orientation and gender identity are grounds for persecution, time—due to the increased vulnerability of those affected—plays a significant role.”
“Through accelerated procedures, queer people, especially if they lack knowledge of the German legal system, could be sent back directly into ‘imminent life-threatening danger,’ without being able to access the humanitarian protection enshrined in fundamental rights in a fair manner.”
Marcy Ellerton
