Isatou Must Stay!

Isatou, a bisexual woman from the Gambia and victim of torturous female genital mutilation. She is fighting for sanctuary so she can live her life in freedom and safety, as the person she is.

Homosexual relationships are outlawed and stigmatised in the Gambia. Isatou was pushed by her family into an unhappy marriage with a Gambian man resident in the UK, but when he found out that she had sex with women he divorced her and informed her family and community back home. This makes it dangerous for her to return as she is an outcast and would not find protection.

Isatou went about rebuilding her life; she re-married with a man in the UK with indefinite leave to remain. They hoped to have children, settle and lead their lives. But this means nothing to the Home Office.

Isatou sought asylum in the UK because she would be open to physical attack and persecution as a known bisexual, divorced woman. Exile is a last resort to which Isatou has had to turn. But the Home Office put her asylum claim on Fast Track and she is detained in Yarl’s Wood. She has been prevented from keeping her appointment with a fertility clinic, despite her physical complications of the genital mutilation she suffered. Isatou is diabetic and her health is deteriorating in detention.

Isatou has been denied asylum. The Home Office plan to tear apart the family and life she has built here, and deport Isatou back to where she will face the persecution that LGBT suffer in the Gambia.

This Home Office inhumanity must stop! We demand that Isatou be released from detention immediately and granted asylum.

Take action for Isatou...

PHONE/FAX/E-MAIL THE HOME OFFICE - Tell them Isatou must stay!

Isatou's Home Office reference: B1927597

The Home Secretary, Theresa May: mayt@parliament.uk
Tel: 020 7219 5206 Fax: 020 7219 1145

Immigration Minister, Mark Harper: ministerforimmigration@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Copy all e-mails to:
privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
citto@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk,
privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk,
public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk,
ukbapublicenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk