International Protection Based on Sexual Orientation: The Case of Oumar

Oumar* was born and raised in a farming family in the southwest of his home country in Africa.

From a young age, he knew that he preferred dating boys. However, he knew that he would need to hide this from everyone: in his country, the law considers homosexuality a crime, and people from the LGBTQIA+ community face long-term prison sentences.

Oumar first fell in love with a boy during his teenage years. But their secret relationship ended when members of their local community found out about his boyfriend’s sexual orientation. They chased and beat him to death.

Having managed to hide his identity, Oumar moved to the capital, where he attended university and worked at the local market. What could have been an independent, free life for a young person soon ended in persecution and violence.

At university, he fell in love with another man, and the two started dating in secret – until the day his fellow students caught them. An angry mob insulted them for being gay and chased Oumar and his boyfriend. They beat them and threw stones at them. Desperate for help, Oumar fled back to his village, but he was not safe there, either. His brother and father, who had heard about the situation, severely beat him and chased him away.

Outed and with nowhere to go, Oumar feared for his life. With the help of a secret LGBTQIA+ organisation, he escaped to Turkey. His journey was marked by hardship. He often had little to eat or drink, and upon arriving in Turkey, he found himself confronted with a hostile atmosphere. This is why he finally boarded a boat to Greece. He wanted to apply for asylum but needed help with the complicated procedures in a country he didn't know yet. That's when he contacted ELIL.

We held several meetings with Oumar to prepare him for his interview by the Greek asylum service, the one crucial moment in which his need for asylum could be proven.

It was clear that Oumar would face persecution in his home country because of his identity, so we aimed to support him and help him present his case to the authorities as detailed and structured as possible.

ELIL also helped Oumar navigate the procedural details of the asylum application. As Oumar found work in different parts of Greece, we ensured that his changes of residence would not affect the processing of his case.

The day before his interview, we called him to make sure he was well prepared and that everything would work out well for him. After the interview, the ELIL lawyer submitted a detailed memorandum to the authorities supporting Oumar’s case with further evidence.

Our work was ultimately successful: Oumar was granted refugee status in Greece. After receiving the positive decision, we helped him obtain his residence permit and travel documents.

Today, he is a legal resident of Greece with the right to work, study, and access healthcare. Most importantly, Oumar does not have to hide who he is anymore.

* Name and identifying details have been changed for protection reasons.