It is my understanding that the imminent deportation of Mr. Kyesswa has been halted, and that he has been granted temporary admission by the Home Office whilst his case is being reviewed. This is welcome news, and although parliamentary protocol prevents me from making representations on behalf of any individual who is not my own constituent, I trust that his local MP will be doing so.
More generally, too many LGBTI+ people in too many countries still face the most extreme forms of prejudice and hate. We are proud of the progress Scotland has made on LGBTI+ equality since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, and that Scotland is regarded by ILGA Europe (International Lesbian, Gay, Trans and Intersex Association) to be one of the most progressive countries in Europe in terms of LGBTI equality.
I am aware that where possible, Scotland also takes the opportunity to share our experience. For example, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has taken the opportunity to raise LGBTI rights with the President of Ghana, who recently visited Scotland, explaining that countries can go on a journey to change – just as Scotland has. And at the Commonwealth Games in 2014, the Scottish Government helped fund ‘Pride House’, which gave LGBTI activists from commonwealth countries a place to share their experiences and discuss how to affect change in their own countries.