The system is broken. Via Shakesville, and the the Scotsman comes the story of Jojo Jako Yakob, a 19 year-old Syrian whose application for asylum the Home Office has refused.

It has been refused despite the fact that Yakob was jailed for distributing anti-government leaflets in Syria, where he was been beaten “so badly that he slipped into a coma”, when prison guards found out he was gay. The government plans to deport Yakob back to Syria in one week and two days, according to the Save Jojo campaign, although he faces possible execution.

Last night, ‘Save Jojo’ campaigners criticised the UK Border Agency for sending Yakob, who is currently being detained at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk, a “weekly” letter, asking his permission to be “repatriated” back to Syria.

A spokesman for the campaign said the agency has offered Jojo £46 “in cash” on leaving the United Kingdom “to assist you in reintegrating into your home country. This could be used for example to set up a business, further your education or assist with housing”.

Check out the Save Jojo campaign for more information on how you can help - if you’re reading this in Scotland, you can write to your MSP and ask them to sign a cross-party motion calling for a moratorium on deporting gay and lesbian asylum seekers who fear they will be persecuted in their home country. Click here to see if your MSP has signed the motion.

Posted by Jess McCabe on 29 April 2008, at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)