Kurdish lesbians, Pari and Dilsa have one wish: to live together; but they may not only fail in that endeavor – it could be worse – they would both be killed if the Swedish Government deports them to Iraq.  Gays and Lesbians are prosecuted and sentenced to die in Iraq.

"It is like sending them straight to the cemetery", says MP Amine Kakabaveh (V). (see below)

They live in a small room in one of the Migration Board apartments. The Swedish Immigration Court has decided they should be expelled in a week. "We are so afraid that we can barely sleep or eat, "says Dilsa.  The two women , in their 30s fell in love in Iraq five years ago. But they had hide their relationship for fear of persecution. Pari’s family is one of the most powerful Muslim clans in the country with governmental power. Being a lesbian in the environment was impossible and dangerous.

Pari was being forced to marry a relative, but she refused and confessed that she loved a woman.
Death sentences were issued by the clan. First Pari would be killed, then Dilsa.  With Pari managed to flee to Sweden in 2006.  Dilsa hid at a friend’s home in Iraq. However, the friend’s brother raped her, and she became pregnant.  "I fled to Sweden three months after  Pari and I had an abortion", she says.

They reunited in Sweden, they wanted to pursue their dream, to marry. But the missing documents and they were told that they must obtain a passport.  Dilsa brother in Iraq arranged a passport for his sister, afterwards he was murdered.  "If they killed my brother, what will they do to me?"

According to the Migration Board, a person likely to be persecuted because of their sexual orientation must receive protection in Sweden.   When confronted press officer John Rahm stated that he could not give reasons why this was not adhered to in this case due to privacy issues.

Amine Kabavah has started a FaceBook Page to support the Women’s quest for safe asylum. "Following two deportation order of lesbians girls from Iraq, I have taken the initiative to start a Facebook group that advises us all to join in. The presentation is as follows:

Stop the deportation of LGBT people

I have been in contact with two young lesbians girls from Iraqi Kurdistan who have fled forced marriage to a safe haven in Sweden. But the Migration Board’s refusal to give them any sanctuary.

One of the girls’ brother has already had killed because he helped his sister to escape a forced marriage. The other belongs to a powerful clan family. Being a woman and LGBT persons are apparently no reason to get asylum despite the fact that every day is murdered girls in different parts of the Middle East (and especially in Iraq). There is nothing to get in order to ensure the girls’ freedom, neither in konstiatutionen in Iraq or in the laws in force in Iraqi Kurdistan. Even religion, family and social context is for these girls’ disadvantage.

If you are opposed to the Migration Board show the girls in similar situations, you should join this group.

The link to the group can be found here ."  See video Interview below

With thanks to  Paul Canning,  LGBT Asylum- UK – for his dedication and continued life saving  efforts on behalf on LGBT people around the world.

Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com