By Sally Shakkour
LGBTQ+ member Samer, who traveled all the way long to the Canadain city of Quebec to get asylum, is said to be facing nearly 'certain death’ as he might be deported back to Jordan on Monday.
The 33-year-old is originally from Jordan and has traveled to Canada to seek asylum by revealing that he is bisexual; adding that he fled his homeland because having such intentions in Jordan will land him in massive trouble.
Gay asylum seeker in Montreal, said to face nearly 'certain death' in Jordan, to be deported Monday from r/worldnews
According to Samer’s lawyer’s letter, which was passed to the Immigration and Refugee Board hearing, the LGBT member added that if he ever returns to Jordan his family which sees him as a ‘shame’ may either burn him alive or throw him off a building.
Samer’s story grabbed wide attention on social media platforms as users called on Canadian authorities to intervene and immediately stop his deportation. Moreover, Canadian president Justin Trudeau was also urged to help him with a hashtag launched #savesamer.
Please share, tweet to @JustinTrudeau and write to The safety minister. Only he can save a 2SLGBTQ refugee in Canada from deportation to Jordan tomorrow. deportation means certain death for this man. His deportation requires immediate intervention https://t.co/QltxQ2yGPs
— Levi interrupted, (@levilabelle) April 5, 2021
@egalecanada #savesamer https://t.co/rRDMV4CXaO
— Marlo Turner Ritchie (@marloritchie) April 4, 2021
Not only a hashtag, a petition “STOP Samer's deportation” was launched by Change.org and shared by Dignity Network / Réseau Dignité on Twitter which is a network of Canadian organizations and individuals working to advance Canada's support of global LGBTI human rights.
The petition is currently signed by about 390 people with a goal to reach 500 votes with aim of stopping his deportation to Jordan and saving his life.
STOP Samer's deportation! Support an LGBTQ Palestinian-Jordanian Migrant Now! - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/gAqZjHJc4i via @CdnChange #SaveSamer
— Dignity Network / Réseau Dignité (@InfoDignity) April 4, 2021
He said after his asylum request was rejected on Tuesday: “I’m facing death if I go there,” “They even know what time Monday I’m going to be deported from here. There’s no way I’ll escape.”
According to CTV news, Samer’s lawyer, Stewart Istvanffy, added his request to get asylum was refused by judges with claims that they were not convinced with the evidence he provided. The LGBTQ+ member wasn’t eligible to argue his case at all.
Samer crossed into Canada in spring 2019 through Roxham Road, the “irregular” border crossing from upstate New York, which was a gate for tens of thousands of people from the US to Canada, Istvanffy said.
One of ours members is facing deportation, please write to the Honorable Ministers of Immigration and Public Safety to ask them to save Samer ?? #SaveSamer
— Meryem Benslimane (@MeryemMusic) April 3, 2021
refugee in Quebec facing deportation says he will be killed if sent back to Jordan https://t.co/IkD6PJJPu6
Samer, who asked to keep his last name as a secret, served jail time for a serious car accident, back when he was living in the US. However, in Canada, “he has been judged to be inadmissible on the basis of a criminal conviction in the States.”
Based on his criminal conviction and the fact that the car crash, which led to the death of his friend and the fact that he served 2 years in jail makes Samer an illegabile person to make a case for asylum in Canada.
