Until early this morning campaigners were given the impression that the flight would be cancelled and therefore we didn't send out a fax earlier. Now we are being told that Ismail, Gulay and their two small children will be sent back to face persecution in Turkey on a Turkish airlines flight this afternoon.

Ismail and Gulay Koz were snatched from his home in Cowgate, Newcastle on 14th April. Their children, 4½ year old Kabar and 11 month old Ozgurcan, are with them in detention. Both children have health problems, and are not eating or sleeping properly.

Kabar is bleeding from his penis, but the detention centre doctor says there is nothing he can do, and the family are being refused access to the hospital. Ismail said: ‘I want to take my son to hospital but I am locked in this place and I can’t. I’ve been locked in here for almost a month.’ The Koz family had joined in solidarity with the hunger strike that started yesterday in another wing of Yarlswood but now they are being

Since 1990 the Turkish state has been accused of the killing of 37,000 Kurds, the destruction of 3,500 Kurdish villages, and of leaving 2 million Kurds without homes. Danny Matthews, a spokesperson for Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR) said: ‘The British Labour government stands in full complicity with the fascist regime of Turkey, as it does with any repressive government which is seen to serve British interests. We demand that human lives be placed above profits for Britain’s rich.’

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

CALL THE IMMIGRATION DUTY OFFICE

The Koz family are being deported on flight TK1990 at 4.30pm and do not want to go. Please LOG your concerns for the well being of the family, especially the 11month old baby, Ozgurcan, who is suffering bleeding from the penis. You need to give your name, state your concerns and record who you spoke to.

If you can send a fax as well then this seems very effective. It has worked before in the case of a woman with ill health, although her husband was still deported.


Phone 0208 7456943

Fax 0208 7456941 (outline below)

(if you fax, phone to confirm receipt)
It would be really helpful if you could send us a short email to say you have taken action - otherwise it is difficult to gauge the success of different approaches.


2) Phone /FAX the airline

Turkish airlines has made it quite clear that they accept no responsibilty for their passengers. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t challenge this policy by phoning them. Phone any of the below numbers for operations at Heathrow:

0208 897 3614

0208 8971731

0208 7454109

Fax 0208 759 5814

3) PASS THIS MESSAGE ON



Fax Message – ATTN: Duty officer Heathrow airport

Fax: +44 (0)208 7456943

Re: Forced Removal of Ismail and Gulay Koz family, together with their two children on flight TK1990 Wednesday 9th May 2007 (Home Office ref K1129975)

Dear Sir/Madam

It has been brough to my attention that a Kurdish family from Newcastle with a sick child is to be deported against their will on flight TK1990 today.

They are extremely distressed at the prospect of being removed and I wish to log my concerns because their two children are feeling unwell. The youngest child is only 11months old and has had bleeding from his penis for several days. This has not been diagnosed in the detention centre and therefore it is unclear why. I am extremely worried about the prospect of a sick child being forcibly deported. Please can you formally log my concerns.

If forced to return to Turkey the Koz family face persecution because of their ethnicity as Kurds and because of their support for the Kurdish national self-determination struggle. Persecution of Kurds in Turky is well documented.

Since 1990 the Turkish state has been accused of killing more than 37,000 Kurds, the destruction of Kurdish villages and of leaving 2 million Kurds without homes. It is not a situation to send any family back to, and definitely not a vulnerable young family with a sick baby.


Yours sincerely,