Message from London Detainee Support Group

Refused asylum seeker Solyman Rashed, 28, was killed by a car-bomb in
Kirkuk on Monday 6th September 2007, after being returned to Iraq two
weeks earlier. This tragic death highlights once again the dangers of
'Constructively' forcing asylum seekers to return to Iraq.

Solyman took 'voluntary return': a misnomer as he did not go of his
own free will. He had been in an immigration detention centre for 15
months, having been arrested when he was homeless and destitute. He
was refused bail around ten times. After his last bail application
was refused in July, he despaired of ever being released from
detention and agreed to return voluntarily.

Solyman travelled to Baghdad on the 15th August 2007, and travelled
on to Kirkuk, his home town. He lived for only 2 weeks in freedom,
before his life was ended by a road-side bomb.

Jerome Phelps of London Detainee Support Group said "Solyman told us
that he was desperate to leave detention, and was having nightmares
about dying. He knew how dangerous the situation is in Iraq, but felt
that he was given no option other than to return."

LDSG call on the Home Office to follow UNHCR advice to halt forced
removals to Iraq until the security situation has improved. All Iraqi
detainees should be released, as indefinite detention should not be
used as a tool to force Iraqis to take voluntary return.

Forced removals to northern Iraq are due to recommence next week,
after a gap of over 6 months.