Canada denies gay man asylum because he’s not gay enough.
- The Immigration and Refugee Board denied him asylum saying they didn’t believe he was gay.
A young Nicaraguan man who says he fears he will be killed in his home country because of his sexual orientation has gone into hiding in Toronto after his latest bid to stay in Canada failed.
Alvaro Orozco, 22, has been holed up at a friend’s place since Thursday, when his refugee claim was denied, but came out briefly over the weekend to speak to CBC News.
His case made headlines in Canada and Nicaragua in February when the Immigration and Refugee Board denied him asylum saying they didn’t believe he was gay.
Orozco claims he was forced to flee Nicaragua because of the laws against homosexuality. He also says his father beat him and threatened to kill him because of his sexual orientation.
In February, an Immigration and Refugee Board adjudicator denied his refugee claim application, questioning whether Orozco was indeed homosexual since he never chose to pursue same-sex relationships while in the U.S.
Orozco’s lawyer argued the 22-year-old decided not to reveal his secret because he feared the church helping him might stop if it learned he was gay.
Go to original CBC News
