Istanbul for a gay Syrian

S is from Homs, central Syria now lives in Istanbul, Turkey.

After being arrested and charged with homosexuality in Saudi Arabia, S managed to escape the country.
The man he had sex with, and who set him up for arrest, was according to S, working for the government's security services.

Though this pressure, S managed to blackmail him and secure his pardon, escaping the death penalty (enforced in Saudi Arabia against homosexuals), and being locked up in the home of his lover prior to a prison.

He returned to Syria with psychological issues after believing he was going to be killed. "Haven't you seen what they do?!" S played a video of a public beheading in the streets of Saudi Arabia on his mobile phone.

Now in Istanbul, S works as an escort. He gets money and gifts from "VIP" clients for sleeping with them, and for being there for them when they are in Istanbul. Most of his clients come from the Arabic gulf states; Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, etc. S says he will never take a Saudi after his experiences there.

He survives from the money he makes as an escort and also manages to support several other gay men from Syria, which S says is his duty and responsibility.

S wants to be resettled in another country, and has applied to the UNHCR, although the process is lengthy and resettlement is unlikely.

Alongside governments that outlaw homosexuality in the region, like that of Bashar al-Assad in S's native Syria, ISIS now poses a threat to LGBT people. This image is taken from the top of a building in Istanbul. In areas of Syria under ISIS control S would be thrown to his death from such a place, which ISIS widely publicised in photographs and videos, in recent propoganda material designed to scare and intimidate.
This image is part of a new segment of my ongoing Kütmaan project about LGBT asylum seekers and refugees.

Look out for a feature article on the subject soon, alongside the full image series.

*I have not been able to independently verify the claims S made of his experiences in Saudi Arabia. This account is his personal testimony.

Istanbul and around...

World refugee day 2014

Refugees and displaced people now number more than 50 million worldwide according to the UNHCR's latest figures.

Whatever the reason, being forcibly moved from all you know is never easy, and making the most out of things once you're on the other end is often more troublesome.

Language difficulties, cultural misunderstanding, security concerns, legal issues and loneliness.

Share a thought for those like Bissam (pictured) who spent six years being displaced from his family, his home and all he knew. First to Syria then to Turkey, and finally to San Francisco after long years in rural Turkey.

Memories in suitcases

Ali's bags were packed for his imminent departure to Canada, after more than two years of waiting in a small city in western Turkey. One of the tens of young Iranian men identifying as homosexual, that chose, or were forced to leave their country and claim for asylum and resettlement from Turkey.

After briefly explaining the gay life in Shiraz, Ali's hometown in southern Iran, he took out a carefully wrapped and labelled package from one of his suitcases containing home made films of private gay parties hosted at friend's homes, as part of what formed the underground 'scene'.

As the first seconds on the film flashed on the laptop screen, he said something that for me encapsulated the situation for LGBT Iranians, and those displaced due to their sexuality and gender identity around the world.

"Honestly, I don't know what happened to all these people. Some are refugees, some are living in Canada, some still in Iran, some imprisoned, and others are dead."

The films showed groups of men in their 20's and 30's dancing, eating, laughing, smoking and enjoying this safe space together. In at least three of the videos, the parents of the host were not only present, but fully embracing the situation, joining the dancing, clapping, and joking whilst bringing dishes of food to their guests.

Turkey, December 20th 2013.
Image caption: Sourena, left and Ali, right looking at photos and videos in Sourena's kitchen, Turkey. (C) Bradley Secker

"My memories" Hael, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Millions of Syrians have been displaced, and continue to be, with thousands fleeing across the country's borders on a daily basis. The figures are shocking, and appear to continue as the conflict continues without an end in sight.

The United Nations says that up to 1 in 5 Syrians have been internally displaced, and millions are living in camps in neighbouring countries.

These are the keys of just one man who had to leave his home, where he might not return, or which might not even exist any longer. Hael describes his home as the place of "my memories."

Part of an ongoing series on the keys of Syrian refugees...trying to tell the story visually on a basic level. 

Repatriated

After living and working in Cyprus as an exile for the past ten years, Zakariah decided to return to his native Syria four months ago to join the Free Syrian Army (FSA), something he says is "my duty as a Syrian".

Far from unusual, many Syrian ex-pats are now returning to the country to take up arms, fighting against the regime they fled many years before. With little or no military training, sometimes only from the military service in their late teens or early twenties as in Zakariah's case, individuals smuggle themselves into their own country to do what they think will bring freedom, change, and an end to Bashar Al-Assad's very bloody crackdown.

Offering to help in any way possible, the repatriated are viewed most useful when armed, provided they are trusted by the others. Basic training is given and the 'soldiers' join the ranks of military defectors, ex-Mukharrabat, and armed locals. Zakariah thought about his decision to return carefully, considered his options, and then went about getting in touch with what was then a recently formed FSA, via Facebook.
Months passed, and he continued to work in the construction industry in Cyprus, exchanging messages regularly, until he was finally trusted and told to come to Antakya, from where he would be equipped, smuggled into Syria, and provided with basic military training. It was January 2012.

Only 12 months ago Zakariah's life was filled with work, sunshine, a network of international friends, a girlfriend, enjoyment, his life was care-free and moving forward.
Since March 2011 the killing of thousands by their own government, has caused many like Zakariah to return and fight, giving up the life abroad that they left family and friends to make, and spent so much time establishing, to gain freedom for those they left behind.

Twice a Refugee and still waiting...

Bissam is now a refugee for the second time, this time in Turkey, after leaving Syria last April, at the start of Syria's 'Arab spring'.
Whilst he awaits news from the UNHCR regarding his refugee status his mind is becoming his enemy.

After escaping Iraq and living for four years in Damascus, Bissam felt that his future would be compromised by the revolution in Syria, and that both the refugee and LGBT community would become a target for those looking to scapegoat minority groups. Nine months ago he arrived in Turkey and applied for refugee status, from when there has been no update on his case.

Being exposed as a homosexual in Iraq meant almost certain death, whilst in Syria it became a dancing game to avoid detection by the authorities, subsequent imprisonment and possible deportation back to Iraq, and in Turkey it's a waiting game. The fear of the unknown has control over Bissam's mind, the future suddenly seems bleaker than before, and the end goal of living an open and free live almost unimaginable.

Living in a small Anatolian City in the depths of a cold winter are taking their toll, on a man that was full of life, charisma and smiles when I last documented his situation from Damascus in late 2010. The smiles are now seldom seen, and the nights are long as he considers his options carefully but erratically instead of sleeping.

The regional instability has killed thousands, and many continue to struggle for freedom, a better life and an end to restrictions on identity.

Lost in Europe

Thousands want to get here, hundreds die getting here.
This is seen as the bright side, streets paved with gold, stable government, open living, free loving, money to be made, multiculturalism, individuality, independence, freedom.
Europe.

For those that make the lengthy, often deadly journey into Europe by land, illegally, smuggling themselves, escaping something worse, yearning for freedom, refugees, economic migrants, the final destination is often not what was dreamt about.

Greece - one of the EU's front-lines, the Balkans, islands, water, a short distance from Turkey. Greece is now home to thousands of people who have made long journeys, worked tirelessly, suffered, sacrificed a great deal, people from far away lands; Arabs, Kurds, Palestinians, Sudanese, Algerians, Libyans, Syrians, Pathan, Hazara, Persian and many more.

Greece doesn't want them to stay, but Greece won't let them go also. Trapped. Limbo.

Those looking for more out of life deserve a chance, the opportunity to have their case heard, asylum claims read, and human rights respected, after all; is this not the land of milk and honey?!

Many look for illegal work on farms paying €20 for an 8-10 hour day, hard labour, without rights. Money that will pay smugglers for the rest of their journey, further into Europe.
Maybe their cases will be read in Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark? Maybe not.

Rising right-wing government policies in France and Italy are threatening the greatest achievement of EU partnership - the Schengen agreement. Let's not take steps backwards and undo this.

Migration is an EU issue, not an issue solely for Greece and other southern European countries.

Think of those camping out tonight and every night, those travelling in overladen and unprepared boats, rough seas, leaving your family, searching, fleeing from war and repressive governments.

Welcome to Europe.