International Day Against Homophobia

People around the world participated in events Wednesday to fight against prejudice towards LGBT people in the second annual International Day Against Homophobia, or IDAHO.

In the UK, Liberal Democrat President Simon Hughes MP, joined today's protest in London in support of gay asylum seekers from Pakistan, Uganda, Sudan, Cameroon, Jamaica, Iran, Belarus, Algeria, Iraq, Nigeria and Egypt.

Addressing the protesters in London, Mr. Hughes said that IDAHO was a very important initiative to challenge global homophobia. He criticized the UK's Home Office's handling of gay and lesbian asylum claims.

"The Refugee Convention does not specifically mention sexuality and therefore we have to make a case to the Home Office for the granting of refugee status on the grounds of sexual orientation," he said.

He continued to say; "I want the Home Office to endorse the idea that lesbians and gay men are a legitimate social group at risk of persecution in many countries. It is a shame that 70 years after the Nazi persecution of gay people, there is still no proper recognition of those persecuted on the basis of their sexuality."

Mr. Hughes said he would work to fight what he called the Home Office's mistreatment of lesbian and gay asylum applicants.