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The reunification of a refugee with his same-sex partner is unbearable when we are not allowed to be a family in the Netherlands despite the recommendations, directives and case-law trials of the relevant EU departments. Let's ask the Dutch Premier.

My name is Pavel Potarski, I'm from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Me and my beloved met in 2017. If possible, we lived together despite the danger for same-sex relations in Russia. In July 2019, we received a clear threat to life. My boy decided we should live separately for a while. As it turned out later, he wasn't worried about himself but about me and our safety, while I mistakenly perceived it as a break in relations. We continued to meet, but when the second threat came in August 2019, I decided to leave for the Netherlands in search of asylum.

Being in the Amsterdam isolated immigration center, already on the second day I asked to be released so that I could fly back because I realized that I couldn't live without my boy. But the kind woman from «Work with refugees» convinced me that I'd still not leave the center earlier than highly likely received refugee status, while my lawyer informed me that I'd be legally able to reunite with my partner. I was really granted the status, and applied for reunification in November 2019.

Of course, we didn't and couldn't have a marriage certificate or a cohabitation (partnership) agreement in Russia. But in accordance with the law, I provided an insane amount of facts confirming the existence of our relationship: joint photos, as well as links to joint videos in YouTube (but nobody even watched them at all), copies of many train and plane tickets I used to travel 2000 km to the city my boy lived before, copies of our forms to the Visa center of the Finnish consulate in Saint Petersburg since we also thought to get married in Denmark, screenshots of our Google timelines for 1.5 months showing our living together, and most important: the sworn translations of our internal Russian passports with stamps of the same permanent registration of residence that is officially similar to a cohabitation agreement. Also my boy visited the Dutch embassy in Moscow for interview where he was brought to tears by tricky questions. In addition, officials should take into account the peculiarities of difficult situations, this is a law.

Nontheless, in March 2021 we received a refusal from the Dutch immigration service with the following formal reasoning: «You didn't present a durable and exclusive relationship, you mixed up some dates, and you mentioned the break in relations if you had any at all.»At the end of April, I filed my objection which is being considered for 18 weeks. In case of refusal, I'm sure I'll win any court up to the ECHR. But it's impossible to endure this already now, not for years of trials. I have to either forget my boy or go back to Russia because I'm not going to betray him even if I'm killed there. I don't need anyone else!

Please sign it so that the Prime Minister of the Netherlands could stop our unspeakable torment. Also it's really still vital for many same-sex refugees in many countries.

Thank you so much!

The full text and extra data are available at my page:

https://facebook.com/paolo.potarsky

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Goal: 100

To The Prime Minister of the Netherlands:

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

 

My name is Pavel Potarski, I'm an asylum status holder in the Netherlands from the Russian Federation since August 2019.

In November 2019, I applied for reunification with my same-sex partner and the only loved one I've been in relationship with since 2017. But we are still not together.

In many EU countries, including the Netherlands, durable and exclusive relations, including same-sex ones, are equated to legal marriage even if they are not officially registered. This is especially true for LGBT refugees who with all their desire couldn't legalize their relations in their countries of origin, and often they couldn't even live together. Therefore, instead of marriage certificates, for reunification with an unmarried partner, it's allowed to provide any evidence including the most indirect. However, the lack of a clear law gives officials the opportunity for discrepancies and decisions at their discretion and in accordance with their views and beliefs (not always friendly).

I provided a number of proofs that convincingly confirm the existence of our relationship: joint photos and videos, copies of train and plane tickets I traveled with for 2000 km to the city my partner lived, copies of our joint forms to the visa center, screenshots of the Google timelines for 1.5 months showing us cohabitating, and most important: the official documents of the same permanent residence registration that clearly state our undoubted closeness. Also, my boy was interviewed at the Dutch embassy in Moscow. And officials should take into account the peculiarities of difficult situations, it's the law.

Nontheless, after 1 year and 4 months of unbearable waiting, the INS official refused us with a formulation which essence means a banal distrust in the seriousness of same-sex relationships. I consider this a blatant fact of obvious, but completely unacceptable discrimination. Such an attitude causes serious damage to our love, fate, health and life.

Believe me, dear Mr. Prime Minister, I'm not glad at all I have to bring this situation to the public and resort to the international community support. I'm certainly grateful to the Netherlands for providing me with a modest shelter but I'm driven to despair by the inability here to implement reunification which is an integral part of political asylum. At the moment, I have filed an objection which is being considered for at least 18 weeks. In case of repeated refusal, I'm sure I'll win any court up to the ECHR but I no longer have the strength, I've been living without my boy for two years and I'd rather return to Russia where, quite possibly, I'll be killed but I'll never betray him. And I don't need someone other.

That's why I ask you, firstly, to resolve my issue as soon as possible by your authority in an exceptional manner, and secondly, to review and supplement the laws and legal framework on issues of this kind.

 

Sincerely, Pavel Potarski

https://facebook.com/paolo.potarsky

[email protected]

Campaign started by Pavel Potarski
0people have signed
Goal: 100
Campaign started by Pavel Potarski

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