URGENT: Don't Deport Pegah Emambakhsh
ASSIST | 16.08.2007 11:23 | Gender | Migration | Repression | Sheffield
Pegag Emambakhsh is an Iranian national who sought asylum in the UK in 2005. Her claim failed despite appeals and she was arrested in Sheffield on Monday 13th August and is being taken to Yarlswood detention centre from where she will be deported tomorrow, Thursday 16th August.
If returned to Iran she faces certain imprisonment and possibly stoning to death. Her crime in Iran is her sexual orientation – she was in a gay relationship.
Ms Emambakhsh escaped from Iran, claiming asylum, after her lover was arrested, tortured and subsequently sentenced to death by stoning. Her father was also arrested and interrogated about her whereabouts. He was eventually released but not before he had been tortured himself.
Ms Emambakhsh has a more than well founded fear of persecution if she is returned to Iran. She belongs to a group of people – gays – who, it is well known, are severely persecuted in Iran.
According to Iranian Human Rights Campaigners, over 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed since the Ayatollahs came to power in 1979.
In 2006 a German court ruled that an Iranian lesbian could not be deported as she risked death because of her sexuality.
According to her solicitors representative “her case has come to an end and he can do no more” (Solicitor: Mr Mazaheri 0207 328 4111 )
The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) have chosen not to believe that she is in such danger if returned to Iran even though the UK government are well aware of the terrible situation that gay people face there.
The local MP, Richard Caborn, (office: 0114 273 7947) has refused to intercede. The BIA will be committing a serious miscarriage of justice and human rights violation if they insist on Ms Emambhaksh’s deportation.
For further information please contact:
Margaret or Robert Spooner
0114 258 5715
Ms Emambakhsh escaped from Iran, claiming asylum, after her lover was arrested, tortured and subsequently sentenced to death by stoning. Her father was also arrested and interrogated about her whereabouts. He was eventually released but not before he had been tortured himself.
Ms Emambakhsh has a more than well founded fear of persecution if she is returned to Iran. She belongs to a group of people – gays – who, it is well known, are severely persecuted in Iran.
According to Iranian Human Rights Campaigners, over 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed since the Ayatollahs came to power in 1979.
In 2006 a German court ruled that an Iranian lesbian could not be deported as she risked death because of her sexuality.
According to her solicitors representative “her case has come to an end and he can do no more” (Solicitor: Mr Mazaheri 0207 328 4111 )
The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) have chosen not to believe that she is in such danger if returned to Iran even though the UK government are well aware of the terrible situation that gay people face there.
The local MP, Richard Caborn, (office: 0114 273 7947) has refused to intercede. The BIA will be committing a serious miscarriage of justice and human rights violation if they insist on Ms Emambhaksh’s deportation.
For further information please contact:
Margaret or Robert Spooner
0114 258 5715
ASSIST
e-mail:
admin@assistsheffield.org.uk
Homepage:
http://www.assistsheffield.org.uk/
Additions
Update on Pegah Emambakhsh
17.08.2007 09:15
Pegah Emmambakhsh, a lesbian Iranian national, who faces imprisonment and even the possibility of death by stoning in Iran, is to be deported back to Iran from terminal 4, Heathrow on flight BA6633 at 21.35 tonight.
Her health is fragile. Earlier this year her GP stated that she:
“would strongly recommend that attempts are not made to remove her from the country as she is not in a fit enough state of psychological health to cope with such an event and would be likely to experience a total psychological breakdown”
Pegah is also suffering from hyperthyroidism and has been on medication for depression with suicidal idiation. She has been without medication for two days and presumably will be expected to travel without it too.
Gay people belong to a group who endure appalling persecution in Iran. Since the revolution in 1979 more than 4,000 gays have been executed by the regime.
The Home Office states that it does not deport people back to countries that will persecute them. This is patently not the case with Pegah.
Other European countries (notably Germany and Holland), have a moratorium on deporting gay people back to Iran. It is utterly despicable that a country, like the UK, that prides itself on civilised values and has legslation in place to ensure that gay people here are not persecuted, finds it acceptable to deport Pegah back to Iran.
Her health is fragile. Earlier this year her GP stated that she:
“would strongly recommend that attempts are not made to remove her from the country as she is not in a fit enough state of psychological health to cope with such an event and would be likely to experience a total psychological breakdown”
Pegah is also suffering from hyperthyroidism and has been on medication for depression with suicidal idiation. She has been without medication for two days and presumably will be expected to travel without it too.
Gay people belong to a group who endure appalling persecution in Iran. Since the revolution in 1979 more than 4,000 gays have been executed by the regime.
The Home Office states that it does not deport people back to countries that will persecute them. This is patently not the case with Pegah.
Other European countries (notably Germany and Holland), have a moratorium on deporting gay people back to Iran. It is utterly despicable that a country, like the UK, that prides itself on civilised values and has legslation in place to ensure that gay people here are not persecuted, finds it acceptable to deport Pegah back to Iran.
Asylum Seeker Support Initiative – Short Term
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