- Global Voices - https://globalvoices.org -

Homosexual Asylum Seekers from The Maldives Face Prosecution Upon Return

Categories: South Asia, Maldives, Citizen Media, Ethnicity & Race, Human Rights, Law, LGBTQ+

Same-sex relationships, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are illegal [1] in the Maldives under Sharia law and there are several cases of prosecution [2] against persons of same-sex orientation.

Ibrahim Muaz, a spokesman at the President’s Office [3] recently said that Maldivians seeking asylum abroad on grounds of religion or sexuality can be assured of prosecution should they return. The comments come in response to a story in the media that Abraham Naim [4], a homosexual Maldivian asylum seeker in New Zealand, has become an prize-winning drag queen [5].

Hilath [6], a secular blogger in Maldives, who was attacked [7] because he talked openly about [8] his sexual orientation is now living in exile in Sri Lanka. He informs via his blog [6] that conservative media of Maldives are painting Abraham Naim, the drag queen in exile, as an Islamaphobe [9] to launch a personal attack against him.