[ssf] Asylum seeker gats late reprieve
father brown
adam at diamat.org.uk
Thu Aug 23 17:01:33 BST 2007
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news?articleid=3119720
By Sarah Dunn
Published Date: 17 August 2007
AN IRANIAN lesbian who faces imprisonment and almost certain death
because of her sexuality if sent home back home has been given an 11th
hour reprieve.
Pegah Emambakhsh, who has been living in Sheffield, was due to leave
Britain on a 9.30pm flight last night.
But campaigners here learned just a few hours before her flight was
due to leave that her case has been deferred until later this month.
Her supporters from Sheffield ASSIST - the Asylum Seeker Support
Initiative - said they were relieved at the news, because for Pegah to
be returned to Iran was "tantamount to a death sentence".
Ann Campbell, from ASSIST, said last night:
"We are all either on a high or exhausted!
"The plane was taking off at 9.30pm last night and this only started
on Monday so it's been a mad four days. Although all we have
effectively done is buy some time - we don't know what will happen
next - we now have time to get our forces together."
Pegah, who is suffering with mental health problems and suicidal
thoughts as a result of the stress, has now been returned to Yarlswood
detention centre in Bedford where she was taken after being arrested
in Sheffield on Monday.
But Ann said:
"We want to get her out of there. Given her fragile state we want to
get her back to Sheffield where people care about her."
The 40-year-old Iranian - described by those who know her as
"charming, incredibly kind, honest and intelligent" - sought asylum in
the UK in 2005. She had escaped from her home country after her
partner was arrested, tortured, and subsequently sentenced to death by
stoning.
Her father was also arrested, interrogated and tortured for
information on her whereabouts.
Margaret Spooner, also from ASSIST, said Pegah had already suffered
great unhappiness in her life. She said:
"She endured an unhappy arranged marriage, she is filled with guilt
about what has happened to her father, and she is not able to see
her two sons.
"I have never met anyone with a bad word to say about her, and all
she wants is a chance to live."
A Home Office spokeswoman said they were unable to comment on
individual cases, but added: "All our applications for asylum are
carefully considered by trained case workers based on accurate
information, who take into account all the circumstances of the
application.
"We will only return those people
that the process has decided
do not need international protection
and can therefore return safely.
If they do not depart voluntarily
we can enforce it in due course."
-- fb.
"When will people understand that it is useless for a man to read his
Bible unless he also reads everybody else's Bible? A printer reads a
Bible for misprints. A Mormon reads his Bible, and finds polygamy; a
Christian Scientist reads his, and finds we have no arms and legs."
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