Recently, a gay man who is seeking asylum was told by a UK home officer that his “sexuality is vague” and he would be deported to back to Bangladesh, where it is not safe to be LGBT+. The penalty for homosexuality is up to ten years hard labour or even life imprisonment.

Now he fears for his safety if he has to return to his home country, according to Worcester News.

The man, who prefers to remain unknown, told the paper he was asked how often he had sex and to explain what men’s “body parts” looked like. After the audience, his case was declined by the UK Home Office. It allegedly rejected his asylum claim because his sexuality is “vague”.

The man told the journal: “You should not have to explain why you are part of the LGBT+ community. No one should have to explain who they are or who they sleep with.

“No one should have to disclose explicit and sexual details to prove they are a gay man. There are many LGBTI+ individuals, who are asexual.”

An appeal hearing will take place in January, but if unsuccessful the man will be deported to Bangladesh.

Statistics released last year, by the UK home office, shows that an estimated 6% of all asylum claims are on the basis of sexual orientation. The nationalities with the highest number of asylum claims where sexual orientation had been raised as part of the basis for the claim were:

1. Pakistan (1,000, 20% of Pakistani asylum claims over the period)
2. Bangladesh (454, 14%)
3. Nigeria (362, 18%).

However, the nationalities with the highest proportion of total claims that were based on sexual orientation were:

1. Uganda (67%)
2. Cameroon (38%)
3. United Rep of Tanzania (32%)

The rules surrounding LGBT+ refugees are still very subjective and far from fair. It is understandable that some people might try to seek asylum by misleading the system, but a solution to avoid this to happen and be fair with those who are saying the truth should be considered, instead of sending them back to a place where they could possibly face a death sentence.