Berlin
A German judge this week granted political asylum to an Iranian lesbian because she might be executed for being gay in her home country. The 27-year-old woman said she had refused to wear the traditional chador and had been trying to pass as a man, but was caught and arrested. Released with a warning, she fled to Germany. The German court that granted her asylum application said it would set a precedent for similar cases. Before this case, only one immigrant had been granted asylum in Germany on the grounds of persecution for homosexual orientation, in 1988. Last year, Iran publicly hanged two teenage boys for having a sexual relationship.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Road trip: New England’s maple syrup seasonFeature New England is serving up maple syrup in delicious and unexpected ways
-
Music Reviews: Mdou Moctar, Panda Bear, and Tate McRaeFeature “Tears of Injustice,” “Sinister Grift,” and “So Close to What”
-
What's at stake in the Mahmoud Khalil deportation fight?Talking Points Vague accusations and First Amendment concerns
