![\"Afghanistan](\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Afghanistan-Map.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHuman rights groups have denounced guidelines directing gay<\/a> asylum seekers who are deported to Afghanistan from the UK to pretend they are heterosexual.<\/p>\n Issued last month, the new guidelines for Afghanistan \u2013 where homosexuality is \u201cwholly taboo\u201d and illegal \u2013 has been denounced by human rights groups as a violation of international law, and criticised by the Home Office\u2019s own Afghanistan unit, reports the<\/a> Guardian<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Although the guidelines point out the risks to LGBT Afghans from local laws, Taliban insurgents and their own families, they go on to argue that a closeted gay<\/a> Afghan could live<\/a> safely in Kabul.<\/span><\/p>\n The document notes:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile space for being openly gay<\/a> is limited, subject to individual factors, a practising gay<\/a> man<\/a> who, on return to Kabul, would not attract or seek to cause public outrage, would not face a real risk of persecution.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the absence of other risk factors, it may be a safe and viable option for a gay<\/a> man<\/a> to relocate to Kabul, though individual factors will have to be taken into account.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The Home Office\u2019s Afghanistan unit expressed concerns with the guidance. An attachment to the main document bluntly states \u201chomosexuality remains wholly taboo\u201d in the country and underlines that gay<\/a> Afghans have to conceal their identity.<\/span><\/p>\n Heather Barr, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, said:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Home Office\u2019s approach seems to be to tell asylum seekers, \u2018Pretend you\u2019re straight, move to Kabul and best of luck.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLiving a life where you are forced to lie every day about a key part of your identity, and live<\/a> in constant fear of being found out and harassed, persecuted or attacked, is exactly the kind of persecution asylum laws are supposed to prevent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Paul Twocock, director of campaigns, policy and research at Stonewall, added that\u00a0the new rules set the UK at odds with United Nations guidelines on refugees because they \u201copenly acknowledge that LGBT people are at risk, but also state that they can escape persecution if they are careful not to attract attention by hiding who they are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The post UK Tells Gay Asylum Seekers From Afghanistan To Pretend To Be Straight If They Are Deported<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\nRELATED:\u00a0Taliban in Afghanistan Says It Wants to Kill or Kidnap Prince Harry<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n