The right to asylum on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity

Abstract

This essay introduces a critical analysis on the legal content of the right to asylum on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. It is suggested that the regulation of such rights under Spanish Law of Asylum 12/2009 it provides a restrictive and conditioned acknowledgement and introduces explicitly discriminatory elements. Furthermore, it is defended that, against current practice of national Administration, grave discriminatory acts in the access and enjoyment of social rights may constitute the objective element of persecution. Secondly, main procedural guarantees and reception conditions for LGBTI asylum-seekers are studied, under new asylum package approved by the European Union in June 2013. Lastly, according to the analyses of Spanish and European case-law, it is questioned the coherence and pertinence in the requirement of proving evidences and discretion criteria is rejected under the human rights approach.