Asylum applications for homosexuality tripled in five years

Belgium last year received a record number of asylum applications citing homosexuality as the main motive, up from 376 applications in 2009 to 1,070 in 2014. The figures come from the office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS).

The majority of people seeking asylum based on homosexuality come from Senegal, Cameroon, Mauritania, Togo and Guinea. Asylum was granted in 295 of the 843 cases filed with the CGRS in 2014, or nearly 35%.

"The main reason for refusal is a lack of overall credibility of their testimony,” explained Damien Dermaux of the CGRS. “The declarations are not always consistent with the prevailing situation in the country of origin. It is important to know that these people are questioned individually by staff members who are highly informed on the subject of sexual orientation in the countries in question."