Mahir Özer is a political refugee from Turkey. A communist and supporter of the Kurdish national liberation struggle, Mahir and his parents fled to Britain in 2003, after his dad was persecuted for taking part in Mayday and workers’ rights demonstrations in Turkey, as well as protests for the rights of political prisoners. Although the Kurds are an oppressed minority in Turkey and communists are systematically attacked by the Turkish state, the racist British government refused him and his family asylum.


Living in Manchester, Mahir took an active part in working class and anti-imperialist struggles. Both his parents were deported to Turkey in June 2008 and January 2009, and on 12 September 2009 as he was taking part in a RATB protest in solidarity with socialist Cuba, he was arrested by the racist police and UK Border Agency officers for being a ‘wanted criminal’. Two of Mahir's RATB comrades were arrested after attempting to block the path of the police van, but were later released.



On 14 September Mahir was taken to Colnbrook IRC (detention centre) near Heathrow airport in London - a notoriously inhuman gaol solely for immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. It is almost certain that the UK Borders Agency will try and deport Mahir.



Please phone Colnbrook on 020 8607 5200 and demand his release.



The Revolutionary Communist Group (RCG)/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! are starting a campaign to free Mahir, standing against deportations and state racism, which are part of Labour's racist armoury against immigrant and oppressed workers.





Support the campaign. Help get Mahir out of detention!! Migrating is not a crime neither is seeking asylum! Only in a country with a culture of racism can 'asylum' and 'immigrant' be dirty words, and where people are reduced to reference numbers.




Also Phone/Email/Fax the Home Office and demand he is released immediately:
Phone: 0207 324 6622 or 0207 035 0198/3262/4848

Fax:  remote-printer.Alan_Johnson@442070350900.iddd.tpc.int

Email: , and  Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk, and , and  Lin.homer@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk





FREE MAHIR!
NO DEPORTATIONS! FIGHT STATE RACISM!