シェイダさん判決に関する報道：以下の６紙・通信機関によって報道されました。

【朝日新聞】
「同性愛は死刑」とイラン人の難民申請、
東京地裁退ける

　「同性愛者の自分が強制送還されると本国で死刑になる」と言って、イラン人男性（４０）が、政府に強制退去処分の取り消しなどを求めた訴訟の判決が２５日、東京 地裁であった。市村陽典裁判長は「公然と同性間の性行為をしない限り刑事訴追され る危険性は相当低く、迫害を受ける恐れがあるとは言えない」と述べて本国への送還 を適法と判断し、原告側の請求を棄却した。
　同性愛者を難民と認めるかについて初の司法判断となった。原告側の代理人は、欧米では、自国での同性愛者に対する迫害を理由に難民と受け入れる例が相次いでいる のに、人権を無視した判決だとして控訴する方針を明らかにした。
　判決によるとイラン人男性は９１年に来日。そのまま不法残留し、００年に出入国管理法違反容疑で逮捕された。このあと強制退去処分の手続きが始まったため、難民 認定を申請したが認められなかった。
　市村裁判長は、イラン刑法では男性同士が性行為を行い、それが４人以上の目撃証言で裏付けられると死刑になるとし、最近も２件の死刑が報道されたことを認定した。
　しかし、男性が来日前は同性愛者であることを隠して普通の生活を送っていたことを踏まえ「訴追の危険を避けつつ暮らすことはできる」と指摘。「自分が望む性表現 が許されないことをもって難民条約にいう迫害にはあたらない」と判断し、原告側の 主張を退けた。
(02/25 19:48)

【時事通信】
イラン人同性愛者、難民と認めず＝退去処分取り消し請求棄却
−東京地裁

　不法滞在で逮捕された同性愛者のイラン人男性（４０）が「強制送還されれば、同性愛を禁じたイランの刑法で死刑になる」として退去強制処分取り消しを求めた訴訟 の判決が２５日、東京地裁であった。市村陽典裁判長は「同性愛者というだけでは、難民に該当するとは言えない」と述べ、訴えを退けた。男性側は控訴する方針。　
[時事通信社：2004年02月25日 17時06分]

【共同通信】
同性愛者、難民と認めず
イラン人男性が敗訴

　不法滞在で強制退去処分を受けた同性愛者のイラン人男性（４０）が「同性愛を禁じている本国に戻れば死刑にされる」と法相の処分取り消しなどを求めた訴訟の判決で、東京地裁は二十五日、請求を棄却した。
　判決理由で市村陽典裁判長は「自分が望んでいる性表現が許されない、ということは難民条約上の迫害には当たらない」と指摘。「帰国しても刑事訴追の危険を避けることは可能で、格別の不都合はない」と述べた。
　判決によると、男性は一九九一年に来日。二○○○年に入管難民法違反の疑いで警視庁に逮捕され、難民認定の申請をしたが認められなかった。
　男性は一時、入国管理センターに強制収容されたが、現在は仮放免されている。

【JAPAN TIMES】
Gay Iranian recognized by UNHCR loses bid for refugee status

By HIROSHI MATSUBARA
Staff writer
Feb 26, 2004

The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday rejected a lawsuit filed by a 40-year-old Iranian seeking recognition as a refugee on the grounds hewould be punished due to his homosexuality under Iran's Islamic penal law.

In the first judicial ruling in Japan over whether a person can seek asylum based on sexuality, the court turned down the man's claim, ruling he can live safely in Iran as long as he does not overtly engage in sexual conduct.

The plaintiff, identified only by his nickname Shayda, applied for refugee status in June 2000. It was the first time homosexuality had been cited in a refugee application. The application wasrejected tow months later and the man was held at two detention facilities for foreigners for 19 months for overstaying his visa.

He was recognized as a legitimate refugee by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2001.

The Tokyo court acknowledged that under Iran's Islamic penal law, perpetrators of sodomy or other physical acts between people of the samesex can face punishment, including death. But it said they can live safely in Iran as long as they do not "overtly" engage in such activities.

Under the Islamic penal law, which took effect in 1991, adults who practice anal sex can, in the most extreme cases, be put to death, while two men who sleep naked under a cover can be punished with up to 99 lashes. If two men kiss "with lust," they face up to 60 lashes. Women who repeatedly engage in homosexual relations can also face the death penalty.

The plaintiff's side argued there have been many media reports of homosexuals being executed in Iran, often in "cruel" ways, including being stoned to death, even in recent years.

As Shayda has participated in a variety of gay movements since arrivingin Japan in 1991, he may immediately face persecution if he returnsto Iran, his lawyer said.

But while the court acknowledged that the reports from Iran were credible, it nonetheless said that a person can still find a way to avoidpersecution while living as a homosexual.

After the ruling, his attorney said he woud appeal, but Shayda indicated he was frustrated with the outcome of the 3 1/2-year trial. He said he was not shocked by the ruling because he no longer expects much from Japan's refugee policy.

"I may have no choice but to seek another country where I can findasylum," Shayda said.

【Daily Yomiuri】
Court rejects asylum claim by gay Iranian

2004.02.26 THE DAILY YOMIURI/February 26, 2004, Thursday/No. 2 (WORDS : 277)

The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday rejected an asylum claim filed by an Iranian man that he should not be deported to Iran, where he contended he would be prosecuted due to his homosexuality.
Identified by the pseudonym Shayda, he is the first person in Japan to file for refugee status to avoid possible prosecution from an Islamic nation for being gay.

Shayda filed the case with the district court to seek revocation of the Justice Ministry's deportation order after his refugee status application and a subsequent appeal were turned down.

Shayda's lawyer contended that the punishment under the Islamic Code for sodomy is the death penalty, and the plaintiff, also a member of Homan--a Stockholm-based group of gays and lesbians exiled from Iran--would risk being prosecuted in Iran.

But presiding Judge Yosuke Ichimura said in the ruling that being a homosexual is not recognized as a substantial reason for prosecution under the Islamic Code of Iran and Shayda can avoid being suppressed if he does not openly conduct sodomy.

His lawyer, Takeshi Ohashi, said: "The ruling basically is saying that Shayda must suppress himself by concealing his sexuality to live in his home country. It's unacceptable."

Shayda is supported by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. An official of the agency's Japan office said it could not immediately commenton the case on Wednesday but the office still believes he has the high potential to be a refugee.

Ohashi said Shayda planned to appeal to the Tokyo High Court, but he also would consider seeking refuge in another country--possibly Canada or Australia.

The Immigration Bureau's general affairs section chief, Toshio Inami, said the ruling was appropriate.

【AFP】
Japan refuses refugee status for gay Iranian

Tokyo
February 26, 2004

A Japanese court yesterday rejected a request for refugee status from a gay Iranian man who claimed that his homosexuality would be grounds for the death penalty if he was sent back to his homeland.
It was the first case taken by a Japanese court dealing with a person who had sought refugee status citing homosexuality.

The Tokyo District Court said the 40-year-old man's sexual orientation was not grounds enough to grant refugee status.

"In Iran, he has been concealing his homosexuality. Therefore, the possibility is slight that he would be persecuted at home," presiding judge Yosuke Ichimura said.

The man came to Japan in 1991 because of fears that he would be persecuted in his native country, according to court documents.

The man was arrested by Japanese authorities in 2000 as an illegal immigrant, the documents said.

Various international organisations, including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, have asked Japan to accept more refugees.

Japan accepted 10,919 refugees between 1975 and 2000, according to foreign ministry figures, equivalent to less than437 people a year.

The figure pales in comparison with other nations.

Japan accepted just 16 refugees in 1999, while the United States took in 85,010 for resettlement, according to UNHCR. New Zealand accepted 1,140 refugees in 1999.


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