A System in Crisis: Ninth Queer Asylum Seeker Dies After Rejection
AMSTERDAM - The Dutch asylum system is facing intense scrutiny following the tragic death of Mahmoud Rahou, a 30-year-old queer man from Algeria who died by suicide on November 4. His death marks the ninth suicide of an LGBTQ+ asylum seeker in a Dutch reception facility since 2021, prompting advocacy group LGBT Asylum Support to send its seventeenth urgent letter to the Minister for Asylum and Migration.
Mahmoud, a veterinary student, fled Algeria after being brutally attacked with a cleaver by his own family for being gay. Despite his clear trauma and the fact that homosexuality is criminalized in his home country, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) rejected his asylum claim, deeming him '#NietGayGenoeg' (Not Gay Enough).
The final blow came on October 24, when the Repatriation and Departure Service (DT&V) informed him of an impending hearing. Just hours later, Mahmoud made his third and final suicide attempt by ingesting a corrosive cleaning agent. He spent eleven days in a coma before passing away. His death is the second suicide to occur at the reception center in Heerlen.
"It is incomprehensible what was allowed to happen, because Mahmoud—with whom we had only recently been in contact—had raised alarm bells many times to no avail," said Sandro Kortekaas, chairman of LGBT Asylum Support. The organization blames a new IND work instruction (2024/6) for a recent spike in rejections. "This policy is detrimental to this group, as they can almost never substantiate their homosexuality as an asylum motive with objective documents. They are automatically one step behind," Kortekaas explained. "For everyone except the IND, it was clear that Mahmoud was homosexual. With a ninth queer asylum seeker now dead due to government failure, intervention is not just necessary, it is vital."
In a poignant tribute, flowers from Mahmoud's funeral were brought to the Homomonument in Amsterdam, a symbol of the community's profound loss and a stark reminder of the life-or-death consequences of asylum decisions.
Violence Erupts at Biddinghuizen Emergency Shelter
Compounding the tragedy, a wave of violent hate crimes has been reported at the Biddinghuizen emergency reception center, underscoring the daily dangers faced by queer asylum seekers.
On December 6, a group of eight transphobic and homophobic residents allegedly attacked two queer individuals: an asylum seeker from Turkey and a trans woman from Syria who already has residency status. The victims reported the assault, which included death threats, to the police, who documented their injuries. However, the perpetrators remain in the same facility, living in close proximity to their victims.
The situation highlights a critical lack of protection. The trans woman had previously reported instances of unwanted sexual behavior to no effect. After she raised a concern with a COA (Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers) employee following the assault, she was transferred to another center, while the Turkish asylum seeker fled to stay with friends out of fear for his safety.
"This is the fear of overly massive reception centers, where queer asylum seekers, as a vulnerable minority, do not feel safe," stated Kortekaas. "The perpetrators of LGBTQ+-related hate crimes remain in the same location, practically as neighbors."
This is not the first time Biddinghuizen has been the site of such incidents. In 2023, numerous reports of threats and unsafe conditions led to the transfer of all queer residents. Under Dutch law, crimes motivated by a person's sexual orientation or gender identity are classified as hate crimes and carry heavier sentences.
LGBT Asylum Support has recorded 863 reports of unsafe situations this year alone. The organization is demanding that the COA immediately move the victims to a safe, inclusive facility and provide support in filing official police reports. "Mass reception centers like Biddinghuizen are not suitable for vulnerable people," Kortekaas concluded. "These hate crimes prove it once again."
