The European Court of Human Rights has granted permission for African Rainbow Family and Stonewall to intervene in an application of a gay man, against the proposed removal by the Swiss authorities to Iran (M.I v Switzerland Application no.56390/21) .

The intervention submissions, provide an opportunity for Stonewall and African Rainbow Family, to highlight the real risk of Article 3 ECHR harm to gay men from Iran, and how concealment/discretion is unlawfully used by Council of Europe Member States to disproportionately target lesbian, gay, and bisexual refugee applicants.

Jaqueline McKenzie, Partner and Head of Immigration at Leigh Day and Co, has instructed 33 Bedford Row’s Dr S Chelvan, Head of Immigration and Public Law, leading Haydee Dijkstal, Deputy Head of International Law, to draft the intervention submissions, due on 21 October. UNHCR has also been granted permission to intervene.