A man seeking asylum in Canada who says he fears for his life in his native Guinea will not be deported on Saturday according to his lawyer.

Stewart Istvanffy said on Friday that the United Nations Human Rights Committee had asked Canada to suspend deportation while studying the case and Canada accepted.

The man, who goes only by the name Karim due to security concerns was scheduled for deportation after the federal immigration court refused to grant him a stay.

Istvanffy said the Canadian government will study Karim’s case, a process which could last between a year and a year-and-a-half.

Karim fled Guinea to seek refugee status in Canada after his family and the opposition political party in which he was active discovered his bisexuality. Despite being married and having a child he said at a press conference on Sunday he was forced to live a double life.