Mehdi Kazemi Update

Just to update you on the status of Mehdi Kazemi, the Iranian teen who faces deportation from the UK back to Iran where he faces death for being gay. British authorities have temporarily halted the deportation of a gay Iranian teen while they review his case. British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced Mar 13 that Kazemi would be granted a temporary reprieve from deportation. On Mar 13, the European Parliament passed a resolution asking the Netherlands and the UK to "find a common solution to ensure that Mehdi Kazemi is granted asylum or protection on EU soil and not sent back to Iran, where he would be executed." This issue is still not resolved, but things look a little better for Kazemi.