DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

22 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Gay refugee wins right to stay after Dutch court overturns justice minister

June 20, 2017

A gay Iraqi refugee has been given temporary leave to stay in the Netherlands after judges in The Hague said officials were wrong to say he was ‘not gay enough’.

The 26-year-old fled Iraq in 2015 and claimed to have been abused by his uncle and his uncles friends since he was 12, the Parool reported on Tuesday. He also feared members of his family would kill him because of his sexual orientation.

But junior justice minister Klaas Dijkhof refused to give him a refugee permit, saying he had not sufficiently proved that he was homosexual. Dijkhof based his ruling on the man’s description of how he realised he was gay. The process of self-acceptance of being gay plays a key role of asylum claims based on homosexuality.

However, the court said that photographs and a statement by the man’s live-in partner, should be taken into account. In addition, the fact he could be in danger if sent back to Iraq is also relevant to the application, judges said.

In May, another gay Iraqi, 29-year-old Sahir, faced deportation for failing to convince officials about how he realised he was gay.

Today’s ruling – that being gay is more than a process of self-realisation – is important because other gay refugees will be able to refer to it in appeal cases, lawyer Oscar Hammerstein told the Parool.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Society
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Dutch house prices up 10% on a year ago, latest figures show
Police confirm bodies in car are missing children and father
Country safety reports for asylum claims to be kept secret
"The Netherlands is innovative yet surprisingly traditional"
Foundations and the future: what you need to think about
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now