GAY ASYLUM SEEKERS DEPORTED

The UK’s Home Office has deported two gay asylum seekers despite continued criticism of its actions.

John Busco Nyombi, from Uganda, was finally deported on Friday following an earlier bungled attempt to return him to his homeland. Last week, staff at Gatwick airport reportedly refused to force him aboard an aircraft.

Nyombi, who had lived in the UK for seven years, had claimed that his life would be danger because of his sexuality if he returned to Uganda. His supporters say that he has been in hiding since his homecoming.

Another man, artist Babakhan Badalov, who also insisted that he faced persecution in his home country of Azerbaijan, was deported on Saturday.

Gay rights activist, Peter Tatchell accused the government of reneging on a promise to intervene in cases where “LGBT asylum seekers are being unfairly treated by the Home Office.”

“The deportation of Babi Badalov shows that the complaints mechanism is worthless,” he said. “Deporting Mr Badalov back to Azerbaijan was heartless and reckless. His life is now in danger.”

Tatchell said that despite a “betrayal” of trust and commitment, he was “still willing to engage and seek solutions, which must in future include some fail-proof mechanism for halting the unfair treatment of genuine LGBT refugees.”