In HJ(Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; HT(Cameroon) v Secretary of State for the Home Department

The Supreme Court gave a landmark ruling on the rights of gay asylum seekers.  The Court ruled that there can be no expectation that gay asylum seekers should seek to protect themselves from persecution in their home country by concealing their sexual identity.  They can establish refugee status if the evidence shows that they would in fact conceal their sexual identity in order to avoid persecution.  Monica Carss-Frisk QC represented the Appellant HT; Michael Fordham QC and Naina Patel represented the UNHCR and Jane Collier acted for the Secretary of State.