A University of Winnipeg student from Malaysia has been granted refugee status after being cut-off financially by his parents because he is gay.
Hazim Ismail was granted refugee status Tuesday morning by a division of the Immigrant and Refugee Board of Canada.
His lawyer Bashir Khan said his client walked in as a refugee claimant and walked out a protected person with the same rights as any Canadian citizen.
“The evidence is strong, my client is very credible and he's got tremendous public support and all of that came together and he won his claim without too much struggle," said Khan.
In a very short refugee claim hearing, Ismail was questioned about his personal life as a gay atheist man and the repercussions about being outed by family members in his home country.
Ismail said it is illegal to be homosexual in Malaysia, and his family is devoutly Muslim.
"It's not just that, just reading people's comments like I want to stomp on your face or people want to track down my family back home," said Ismail. "It's a real fear, I have a hard time sleeping because of it."
He said he has since been cut-off financially by his mother, and he's received death threats from strangers after his story went viral in his home country.
When the decision came, his supporters cheered, cried and hugged.
"Quite frankly, he's affected quite a number of people in our community in very positive ways, the opportunity for him to stay will just allow him to continue to make that positive effect," said Jacqueline Pelland, one of Ismail’s friends.
"His story touched me and no one should have to face this kind of situation by themselves. So we are here just as students to support him," said Alexa Potashnik, another friend of Ismail’s.
Ismail said he's still processing today’s event, but said he feels he won’t have to worry anymore.
"Hopefully I can just now go to school and just complain about profs again," said Ismail. "I know that’s what I'll be doing. What I won't be doing, is worrying."
