(Toronto) Supporters of a bisexual man living in Canada who is facing deportation to Kenya say the federal government has halted the measure just one day before his scheduled flight.
The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, an organization that supports Charles Mwangi, says the 48-year-old Toronto-based man has been granted a one-year temporary resident permit.
Mr. Mwangi, who says he fled death threats and abuse in Kenya because of his sexuality before arriving in Canada in 2019, feared he would be forcibly returned, especially since his activism and the notoriety of his case put him at even greater risk of persecution.
Kenya criminalizes same-sex relations, and human rights groups have reported widespread discrimination, harassment and violence against LGBTQ people, with police often cited as a major perpetrator.
Mr Mwangi, who worked as a care assistant in a long-term care home, made a last-minute request this week for the UN Human Rights Committee to intervene in his case after his refugee claim was rejected in 2021 and several follow-up appeals were unsuccessful.
A copy of the UN application says his refugee claim was rejected because the adjudicator did not find that Mr. Mwangi, who is married with two children, was a credible bisexual man, despite his sworn testimony, the testimony of a man he allegedly dated in Toronto and his activism with local LGBTQ organizations.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment.