Human rights activists called on the EU authorities to simplify the issuance of asylum to transgender Russians

The LGBTQ+ group Vykhod and the transgender aid group Center T have published a petition calling for easier political asylum procedures for transgender Russians in the European Union.

The authors appeal to the EU Commissioners, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and the chairmen of the committees of the European Parliament. They ask for the necessary legislative initiatives at the EU and individual country levels to allow trans people from Russia to find asylum abroad. “Not every transgender person in Russia wants to leave their homeland. However, this opportunity has the potential to change the lives of dozens, if not hundreds, of people and empower thousands of others,” the petition reads.

The text also says that an unsafe environment for trans people has developed in Russia, so those who decide to leave should be able to find asylum in other countries where their life and health will not be endangered.

In July 2023, Russia passed a law prohibiting transgender transition. Now trans people cannot adopt children, change the gender marker in documents, perform operations and take drugs to complete the transition.

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