On Sunday morning I was woken by a call from a caseworker at the local Asylum Seekers Project. Two Iranians, one of whom has been here 8 years, were seized when Police and Immigration Officers raided a house in Brighton run by the Social Services Mental Health Team. Everyone was arrested and the two Iranians. This was the e-mail I received shortly after:
‘Two of my clients need help.
On Thursday morning (in fact Saturday) police and immigration raided and ransacked a property in Preston Drove. This property is private and rented by social services community mental health team. All residents were arrested as well as 2 female visitors. Subsequently 2 were detained at Brighton Custody Centre. They are still there now.
Their names are Mohammad Faraji (know as Meisam) HO: F1067419
And Mohammad Reza Faraji (know as Meisam) & Sina Khatibzadeh Davani HO: K1045731
They are both from Iran and both have been served removal notices and told flights have booked for them next week. [Details follow of the flights on Wednesday and Thursday).
…
Meisam has not got a solicitor and we need one urgently
Both will face certain death if they are returned.
Ideally we need an injunction against home office in order to stop removal.
They are being supported by social service community mental health team under the guidance of the Westminster judgment both have been here for years.
I have faxed their MP (David Lepper) and requested help.
I have faxed a letter from Mental health team to Brighton custody centre and Croydon enforcement unit,
Dominic Lafont
Asylum Seekers Project Co-ordinator

Meisam served in the Iranian army in 2003. When he did not attend an anniversary of the death of the martyrs an investigation was launched. He was detained for 2 weeks and tortured and asked to confess to something he did not know anything about. After being discharged and released from prison, Meisam tried to return to a normal life. One night after work he was beaten up and bundled into a car. He was kept somewhere unknown for 2 months. He was blindfolded everyday and beaten. His hands were strapped to a chair. He was also beaten with broken glass. Following this he was taken to a place called the Ministry of Guidance and a court. He was sentenced to flogging (80 lashes) which was carried out whilst he was suspended from the ceiling.
Sina’s claim for asylum is based on his religion. He is Zorastrian. The Home office is of the opinion that Sina would not be at risk if he were sent back to Iran. This is nonsense. Sina has already suffered persecution in Iran. In the Islamic Republic of Iran converts to Zoroastrians are considered apostates for which the death sentence is imposed. Sina has been in this country for 8 years.
If both of these asylum seekers are returned they will be arrested on arrival and detained. What will happen then is a bogus charge, a court appearance with no defence and a possible sentence of death, bearing in mind that Iran has the second highest rate of executions in the world. Meisam doesn’t even have a solicitor because of the complete lack of legal aid solicitors in this area.
We have managed to get both flights cancelled but both Sina and Meisam are being held at present in Dover detention centre and we are trying to get them out on bail. What we need is as many people as possible to fax and e-mail the home office.
Fax: 020 7035 3262/020 7035 4745
 byrnel@parliament.uk,  smithJ@parliament.uk
ALSO we are picketing the Home Office on Friday 8th February from 12.30-2.30 St Anne’s Gate, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

Tony Greenstein