Media Release
Sunday November 14th 2021
CALL ON AUST GOV TO GIVE LGBTIQA+ AFGHANS REFUGE
Just.Equal Australia has urged the Australian Government to provide refuge for LGBTIQA+ Afghans facing persecution under the Taliban regime.
President, Ivan Hinton-Teoh, has written to Home Affairs Minister, Karen Andrews, asking that Australia follow the UK in settling LGBTIQA+ Afghans.
"According to news reports, the Taliban has an LGBTIQA hit-list and many LGBTIQA+ Afghans fear for their lives", Mr Hinton-Teoh said.
"As one of the countries that invaded Afghanistan in the name of freedom, Australia must now fulfill that promise to LGBTIQA+ Afghans."
Mr Hinton-Teoh cited the case of transgender woman, Nur Sajat, who was recently granted asylum by the Australian Government after fleeing sharia law in Malaysia.
“We welcome the Australian Government’s decision in Nur Sajat’s case and urge it to extend the same humanitarian principle to LGBTIQA+ Afghans.”
The letter from Just.Equal is below.
News reports about Afghanistan:
https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20211102-the-taliban-has-a-kill-list-for-the-afghan-lgbt-community-ngo-says
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59102411
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59102411
And Malaysia:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-23/malaysian-transgender-influencer-nur-sajat-flees-to-australia/100556448
For a copy of this statement on the web, click
hereFor more information contact Ivan Hinton-Teoh on 0419 124 826.
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Ivan Hinton-Teoh OAM
President, Just.Equal Australia
Hon Karen Andrews MHR
Minister for Home Affairs
re: Refuge in Australia for LGBTIQA+ Afghans
Dear Minister Andrews,
Just.Equal Australia is deeply concerned about the plight of LGBTIQA+ people under the new Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have indicated the Taliban Government is actively persecuting LGBTIQA+ people.
In response, the Government of the UK is working closely with LGBTIQA+ NGOs to provide refuge for LGBTIQA+ Afghans.
We are writing to urge the Australian Government to do the same. We would welcome further discussions with the appropriate Australian authorities to implement a plan for providing refuge for LGBTIQA+ Afghans in Australia.
Below, we have included some relevant news reports.
Best wishes,
Ivan Hinton-Teoh OAM
