Post in Fw: Please help Tara - an Iranian asylum seeker

Jun 11 16:27 UTC

I am forwarding this from Brighton Voices in Exile.
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This is a particularly outrageous case and urgent since Tara is due to be
deported on Friday.&nbsp; It is well known that an apostate - someone who
converts to another religion - can and will suffer the death penalty and
flogging in Iran, however this does not deter New Labour.&nbsp; Please spare
some time to fax/e-mail the numbers below.&nbsp; If you are using the
fax-e-mail option don't use hotmail/yahoo addresses as they are automatically
barred.
&nbsp;
cheers
&nbsp;
Tony Greenstein
&nbsp;
From:
"Brighton Voices In Exile" &lt;bvie@hotmail.co.uk&gt;Add sender to Contacts
To: <email obscured>
Please help Tara*
If you would like further information please contact Mary-Jane Burkett at
Brighton Voices in Exile 01273 328598
Home office Reference No: A1313620
Twenty-eight year old Tara from Iran first arrived in the UK on 06/02/2006 and
claimed asylum on 6/6/2006. Her asylum claim was refused on 26/6/2006.
Tara made a fresh claim for asylum on 21 December 2006. When Tara went to
report on Thursday 5th June she was told her that her claim had been dismissed
and she was subsequently detained and moved to Yarlswood, Immigration Removal
Centre in Bedfordshire. Neither Tara nor her solicitor had been previously
informed. Removal directions to Tehran have been set for Friday 13 June at 6.45
pm, leaving from Heathrow Airport Terminal 1, flight number BD 931 (BMI).
Tara was living in Tehran (Iran) before coming to the UK in 2006. She had
developed an interest in Christianity at the age of 17 and approached a couple
of churches in Tehran to find out further information. She was turned away by
the churches for fear of reprisals from the Islamic state. 2 priests had
recently been murdered who converted Muslims to Christianity. She managed to
obtain a bible on the black market and started self-study. She subsequently
denounced her Muslim faith. On arrival to the UK she was introduced to the
father of a local church. She was baptised in February 2007 and attends church
regularly.
The Government does not respect the right of Muslim citizens to change or
renounce their religious faith (see International Religious Freedom Report
2007, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90210.htm). A recent draft law in
Iran, article 225, states that anyone born to a Muslim father, who decides to
renounce Islam and convert to another faith, faces the death penalty. There
have been numerous reports of persecution of Christians in Iran (see, for
example, Amnesty International report found at:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/middle-east-and-north-africa/east-gulf/iran).
A report released on the 9th June stated that Iran [has] continued a wave of
arrests against Christians in recent weeks, leaving them vulnerable to
subjection of psychological and physical torture (see
http://www.persecution.org/suffering/newsdetail.php?newscode=7911).
Tara has integrated in to the local community, developed friendships and a
loving relationship, for which marriage has been planned for the 2nd July 2008.
If she returned to Iran she will be separated from her loved ones and face
definite persecution / possible imprisonment and death.
The Home Office has not followed its own procedures. Before a decision to
remove can be made, the requirements of the immigration rules require that all
known factors, including representations, to be taken into account:
395C. Before a decision to remove under section 10 is given, regard will be had
to all the relevant factors known to the Secretary of State, including:
(i) age;
(ii) length of residence in the United Kingdom;
(iii) strength of connections in the United Kingdom;
(iv) personal history, including character, conduct and employment record;
(v) domestic circumstances;
(vi) previous criminal record and the nature of any offence of which the person
has been convicted;
(vii) compassionate circumstances;
(viii) any representations received on the persons behalf.
Tara and her solicitor have submitted numerous pieces of evidence in relation
to Taras genuine conversion to Christianity, and relationships with her Fiance
and friends/church community. The Home Office has not provided evidence that
the above factors have been taken into account. Tara deserves the chance for
her personal circumstances to be taken into account when the Home Office assess
her claim for asylum.
*Taras name has been changed to protect identity in case of removal
What can you do to help
URGENT ACTION
1. Please fax Home Secretary Jacqui Smith by faxing: The Rt Hon Jacqui Smith,
MP, Secretary of State for the Home Office 020-7035-4745 or from outside the UK
+44 207 035 4745 . Ask her to urgently reconsider the decision to remove Tara
When faxing Jacqui Smith please remember to include Tara's Home Office
reference number A1313620.
2. Please phone/fax/email BMI
Phone/fax/email BMI asking them not to take Tara as the Home Office has not
followed correct asylum procedures in determining Taras case. If you do so,
please remember to include the removal flight details: Friday 13 June at 18.45,
leaving from Heathrow Airport Terminal 1, flight number BD 931 (BMI).

BMI head office, Tel: 0133...
BMI reservations/general enquiries, Tel: 0870 6070 555 / +44 (0)1332 648181
Fax: 01709 314993
*No fax machine? No matter!*
If you have a computer and access to the internet you do not need a fax machine
to fax.
There are two methods of faxing:
1. From your browser go to: http://www.tpc.int/sendfax.html
(the number must be entered with the country code so 020 7035 4745 (Home
Office) would be 44 20 7035 4745
OR:
2. Send a fax via email -
Use this email address format :
remote-printer.recipient_name@fax_number.iddd.tpc.int
So, to send the fax to Jacqui Smith put:
<email obscured>
Just copy your fax message into the body of the email.)
&nbsp;
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Dear Sir or Madam:,
Re: H.O. Ref. No: A1313620
Flight BD 931, departure 18.45 13 June 2008, Heathrow Airport

I am writing to request that you urgently reconsider the decision to remove a
young Iranian lady on the above flight. She is being removed from the country
contrary to the Home Offices own procedure on determining asylum claims.

She made a fresh claim for asylum on 21 December 2006. When she went to report
on Thursday 5th June she was told her that her claim had been dismissed and she
was subsequently detained and moved to Yarls Wood, Immigration Removal Centre.
Neither herself nor her solicitor had been previously informed of any decision
on her claim.

She has converted to Christianity, and built up a life with friends and within
the church community in the UK. She is engaged to be married on the 2nd July
2008. Her solicitor has submitted numerous pieces of evidence to prove that her
conversion to Christianity and relationship are genuine. There has been no
evidence to suggest that the Home Office have adequately considered these
factors or made a proper determination on her claim, contrary to the
Immigration Rules.

Before a decision to remove can be made, the requirements of the Immigration
Rules require that all known factors, including representations, to be taken
into account:

395C. Before a decision to remove under section 10 is given, regard will be had
to all the relevant factors known to the Secretary of State, including:

age;

length of residence in the United Kingdom;

strength of connections in the United Kingdom;

personal history, including character, conduct and employment record;

domestic circumstances;

previous criminal record and the nature of any offence of which the person has
been convicted;

compassionate circumstances;

any representations received on the persons behalf.

The Home Office have not followed their own procedures. As such, please deny
this removal and give this lady a chance for her asylum claim to be properly
assessed in accordance with Immigration Rules.

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Yours sincerely,