A protest about the treatment of gay and lesbian asylum seekers has been held outside the Dover Immigration and Removal Centre which handles refugee cases.
It called for an end to detention and recognition that homosexuals face danger in certain countries including Jamaica, Nigeria and many parts of the middle east.
It called for the end of deportations to "at risk areas".
Ray Duff, who organised the protest, said: "Gay people returning to these countries are very likely to face attacks, imprisonments, beatings and executions.
"Lesbian , gay and transgender people currently in UK detention centres or awaiting an asylum claim decision are at great risk of being deported to one of the 80 countries around the world which still make homosexuality illegal.
"I believe that someone who is gay or lesbian should not be sent back to one of these countries and told to be secretive about who they are when they can live here and be openly gay."
Mr Duff added he welcomed Government support for gays but said guidelines needed to be introduced in asylum cases as the decision often rested with individual immigration officers.
POSTED: 11/06/2007 14:59:48
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