Fridae

Canadian media have reported that Mr Hazim Ismail, a gay and atheist Malaysian student, is allowed to stay in the country as a refugee

In what has been described a "rare" case, Malaysia's New Straits Times reported that a 38-year-old Malaysian transsexual was recently given refugee status in Australia as only 12 transsexuals were given asylum in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada between 1994 and 2008.

Does international refugee law give some protection to LGBT individuals? Douglas Sanders gives an overview.

In what could be the first publicly known case of it's kind in Korea and possibly Asia, a gay man who fled his home country for fear of being persecuted because of his sexual orientation has been granted refugee status by a Seoul court.

The New Straits Times's Audrey Vijaindren asks if Malaysian society lacks compassion and kindness towards transgenders as the media reports on Fatine Young, a Malaysian transsexual who faces deportation (and possibly jail) to Malaysia for overstaying in Britain with her husband.