Hong Kong immigration and customs officials are being accused of behaving like animals during what a transgender woman says was a nine hour body search. The South American woman was seeking asylum in the city, fleeing her home country where she had been shot at and stabbed. When she arrived at Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong she says she was subjected to ridicule from customs officials for her appearance, and refused entry by immigration officials as they questioned her story. The South China Morning Post reports she says she was then made to endure a full body search by male officers – despite asking for a female to be present. She claims they touched intimate parts of her body with their hands. “They were animals. I kept asking for a female but they said if I refused [the search] they would deport me. When it was over, I was destroyed.” When her immigration credentials were verified she was released, however Hong Kong officials deny her allegations, while referring to the woman as a man, stating “The passenger had his clothes on during the whole search and customs officers did not touch any sensitive parts of his body.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 4th November 2013 - 10:33am