These men have taken incredibly brave actions in the struggle for greater freedom and equality in Iran, risking and suffering consequences far more severe than we would face in the UK.

In short, their story, as told by one of the men, is as follows:

They were involved in the wave of protests against the fixed elections in Iran in 2009. People torched a bank. The cops arrived and started shooting people. Some men, including some of the hunger strikers, disarmed the police, before overturning police cars. The crowd set fire to one.
They were identified, arrested, beaten and raped. They made a clandestine journey in a truck to the UK, where they were automatically refused asylum and screwed over by a lawyer who failed to even translate and submit crucial evidence.

In desperation, they sewed their lips together and went on hunger strike in a final bid against their deportation and as a broader protest against the asylum
system in the UK.

More details about the horrors they endured whilst imprisoned in Iran can be found here:
 http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2011/apr/iranian-asylum-seekers-rosebery-avenue-tent-protest-trio-who-fled-persecution-hunger-s

17-year old Mahyar said: "I prefer to die here than going back to Iran. I'll continue this protest until somebody comes here and asks me why I'm doing this, until somebodycares about what has happened to me."

No Borders and other supporters have since been visiting them regularly. On a personal note though, it does seem bizarre that many radicals in the UK pay more attention to solidarity with those in UK activist scene than with international activists facing far more severe consequences, especially when they are actually in the UK seeking and being denied refuge. And the experiences of these six is not exceptional - many dissidents get refused asylum.

Join the demo in central London later today:

Assemble 2:00 pm at Parliament Square
followed by march to protest outside the
Home Office
Marsham Street SW1
3:00 to - 5:00 pm