URGENT: New deportation date set for Bita Ghaedi: May 5 2010

Bitte unterstützen:

URGENT: THE UK HAS RESCHEDULED BITA’S DEPORTATION FOR MAY 5.

ACTIONS:

1) Make Bita’s case VISIBLE: the media refuses to cover these illegal deportations to Iran. Ensure that the world knows what the British government is doing. Bita is but one case: there are many lined up behind her in the UK alone, including Nadia Arzane & Bashir Foris, and Kiana Firouz. What happens to Bita paves the road for the others. Post about Bita in every blog, in every comment section that you can. Raise the visibility.

2) SEND EMAIL. Send a clear, strong message to the responsible parties. Sample text and addresses are below:

To whom it may concern, regarding Bita Ghaedi, HO Ref G1149090/5:

As a citizen of xx, I am disgusted by how Britain is handling Bita Ghaedi’s asylum case. I am appalled that despite global outcry, the UK Border Agency has chosen to cold-bloodedly pursue the deportation of Bita Ghaedi now set for May 5.

Ghaedi sought refuge in the UK with viable grounds for establishing refugee status. In Iran, Ghaedi’s life was circumscribed, bound, tortured, and scarred by pervasive gender-based violence. Her refusal to submit to gender-based oppression in Iran ensures that she will be under threat of the barbaric practice of stoning if she is returned to Iran. Furthermore, her political activities with PMOI/MEK/MKO mark her as an opponent of the present regime; thus it is also on political grounds that she will face certain execution upon return to Iran.

Your office received over 2700 petition signatures to stop this atrocious human rights violation, and you have been the target of protests in the UK and the US. The UK is very well aware of the current human rights crisis in Iran, marked by a rapid rate of executions occurring over the past few weeks. Your response has been to deport Ghaedi in clear violation of the law. This is criminal.

I demand that this illegal act by the UK, which violates international principles of non-refoulement, be halted and Bita Ghaedi be granted aylum and refugee status.

Understand that England will be held publicly accountable for the fate of Bita Ghaedi.

Sincerely,
xx

Mail to:
UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Bita’s Story:

Bita Ghaedi is a young woman whose life in Iran was circumscribed, bound, tortured, and scarred by the pervasive gender-based violence she experienced. Her political activities with PMOI/MEK/MKO mark her as an opponent of the regime, and also one who will face certain execution upon return to Iran.

She has sought refuge in the UK with her partner Mohsen. She has viable grounds for establishing refugee status: she has numerous reasons to fear for her life if she is returned, and it is illegal under UN agreements on the Status of Refugees to violate the principle of non-refoulement, or returning an asylum-seeker to a country where they have grounds to fear persecution. England is a signatory to the legally-binding agreements on Status of Refugees, and Bita’s case is very clear cut. Nevertheless, David Miliband’s government declared that she would be deported back to Iran.

Resources:

1) More on Bita from the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns

2) MFI’s complete coverage of and response to the UKs injustice towards Bita Ghaedi.

Read on:

http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/update-new-deportation-date-set-for-bita-ghaedi-may-5-2010

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http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/04/fluchtlingspolitik-geschlossene.html

http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/04/op-ed-on-uk-human-rights-act-and-echr.html

http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/04/ex-muslim-erhalt-fluchtlingsstatus.html

http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/04/protest-at-british-embassy-in.html

http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/04/extremely-urgent-please-email-alan.html

http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/04/email-und-fax-kampagne.html

http://gemeinsam-lernen-in-holzminden.blogspot.com/2010/05/emergency-pls-keep-posting-urgent-call.html

„Inclusion of people with disabilities into a school for ALL!“ hat dir eine Nachricht auf Facebook g...

Hallo,

dieses Anliegen ist auch ein Menschenrecht ...!!!

Ulrike Beudgen

Von meinem iPhone gesendet

Anfang der weitergeleiteten E-Mail:

Von: Facebook
Datum: 21. April 2010 17:29:53 MESZ
An: Ulrike Beudgen 

facebook Wasilios Katsioulis II hat eine Nachricht an die Mitglieder von Inclusion of people with disabilities into a school for ALL! gesendet. Wasilios Katsioulis IIApril 21, 2010 at 5:18pm Betreff: please put this to your profile: PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS DON'T HAVE AN ILLNESS BUT A DISABILITY, SO THERE IS NO CURE & IT'S NOT CONTAGIOUS. THEY ONLY WANT WHAT WE ALL WANT, TO BE ACCEPTED, 93% OF YOU PROBABLY WON'T COPY AND PASTE THIS. WILL YOU BE IN THE 7 % THAT WILL, AND LEAVE IT ON ...YOUR STATUS FOR LEAST AN HOUR. IT'S I N C L U S I V E EDUCATION WEEK FOR PUPIL WITH SPECIAL NEEDS analogue to article 24 UN CRPD! Um auf diese Nachricht zu antworten, klicke auf den untenstehenden Link: Finde Personen aus deinem Adressbuch auf Facebook! Diese Nachricht war für Uli Beudgen bestimmt. Wenn du diese Art von E-Mails von Facebook in Zukunft nicht mehr erhalten möchtest, klicke bitte auf den Link unten, um sie abzubestellen. Die Facebook-Büros befinden sich hier: 1601 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304.

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برای ایران آزاد mission free iran

Photo taken April 20, 2010, nearby the British Embassy on Embassy Row. We protested for Bita all the way back to the car, where we remembered that we forgot to get photos of the event. So I got to hold one sign and the bushes held a few too.

[report forthcoming]

via missionfreeiran.wordpress.com

Small but nice ... Actions for Bita Ghaedi ... Event photo ...

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Iranian German's Blog

Wie bereits vor einigen Wochen berichtet wurde, steht der nach England geflüchteten Iranerin Bita Ghaedi die Abschiebung in die islamische Republik unmittelbar bevor.

Eine erneutes Gesuch auf Asyl wurde jetzt abgelehnt. Ghaedi hatte ihr Heimatland verlassen, weil sie u.a. politisch verfolgt wird und im Iran nicht nur eine Verhaftung, sondern Folter und die Todesstrafe zu erwarten hätte. Zu diesem Anlass sollen Proteste vor britischen Botschaften in aller Welt stattfinden, wie z.B. heute in Washington DC.

Des Weiteren sind alle Mitstreiter dazu aufgerufen, die Petition für Bita Ghaedi zu unterzeichnen und diese Informationen soweit wie möglich zu streuen.

__________

Infos zu Bita Ghaedi und den Protesten:

Protest in Washington

Hands off Bita Ghaedi

Save Bita Ghaedi from Deportation. Her own words…

Petition für Bita Ghaedi

via iraniangerman.wordpress.com

Dieser Artikel ist eine Zusammenfassung der beiden englischen Artikel von Mission free Iran - MFI - über die Situation von Bita Ghaedi, die ich hier geteilt habe ... Weitere Entwicklungen folgen ...

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Demo in Hamburg am 24.04.10 wegen 2. Suizid in Abschiebehaft

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Anfang der weitergeleiteten E-Mail:

Von: Kai Weber, Flüchtlingsrat Niedersachsen
Datum: 20. April 2010 10:57:12 MESZ

Im Anhang ein Aufruf zu einer Demonstration am 24.04.10 anlässlich des zweiten Suizids eines Menschen in Hamburger Abschiebehaft, der heute abend von einem Treffen mehrerer Gruppen und Einzelpersonen in der W3 beschlossen wurde. Der Beginn der Demo ist deshalb erst auf 18.30 Uhr festgelegt, weil vorher die Anti-Atom-Ketten-Aktion in und um Hamburg stattfindet.
Wir haben vereinbart, dass sich weitere UnterzeichnerInnen bis morgen (Di) 22 Uhr bei info@fluechtlingsrat-hamburg.de <mailto:info@fluechtlingsrat-hamburg.de> bzw. 040-431587 melden sollen. Die Flugblätter sollen dann bis spätestens Donnerstag gedruckt und zur Abholung im Schanzenbuchladen ausgelegt werden, damit sie möglichst breit verteilt werden können.
Gruß
Conni

--
Flüchtlingsrat Niedersachsen
Langer Garten 23 B
D - 31137 Hildesheim
Tel. 05121 - 15605
Fax 05121 - 31609
www.nds-fluerat.org

SOLIDARITÄT  KOSTET  GELD!

Wir bitten um Spenden für die politische und soziale Unterstützung von Flüchtlingen und anderen Migrantinnen und Migranten, die in Bedrängnis geraten sind:

Flüchtlingsrat Niedersachsen - Konto 8402 306 - Postbank Hannover eG - BLZ 250 100 30 - Zweck: Spende

Werden Sie Fördermitglied im Flüchtlingsrat Niedersachsen e.V.!

Download now or preview on posterous

Aufruf Demo wg.2.Suizid in A-Haft.doc (31 KB)

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Liste AnsprechpartnerInnen Dublin http://www.nds-fluerat.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/Liste-AnsprechpartnerInnen-Dublin3.doc

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BELGIEN

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen
Gaucheretstraat 164
1030 Brussels
Tel: + 32 2 274 0020
Fax: + 32 2 201 0376
Email: info@Vluchtelingenwerk.be
Web: http://www.vluchtelingenwerk.be

International Rescue Committee – Belgium
pl. de Vieille Halle aux Blés 16
1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0) 2 511 43 00
Fax: +32 (0) 2 511 57 00
Email: infobrussels@theirc.com
Web: http://www.theirc.org/where/international_rescue_committee_belgium.html

BULGARIEN

Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
Association for Refugees and Migrants - Bulgaria
1 Uzundjovska Street
Sofia 1000
Tel: +359 2 981 33 18
Fax: +359 2 988 0057
Email: refunit@bghelsinki.org
Web: http://www.bghelsinki.org

Bulgarian Red Cross
76 James Boucher Blvd
Sofia 1407
Tel: +359 (2) 865 7547
Fax: +359 (2) 865 8109
Email: lotus@redcross.bg
Web: http://www.redcross.bg

DÄNEMARK

Danish Refugee Council
Borgergade 10, 3rd floor
P.O.Box 53
1002 Copenhagen
Tel: +45 33 73 50 00
Fax: +45 33 32 84 48
Email: drc@drc.dk
Web: http://www.drc.dk

FINNLAND

Finnish Red Cross
Tehtaankatu 1a
PO Box 168
00140 Helsinki
Tel: +358 9 12931
Fax: +358 9 1293 226
Email: webmaster@redcross.fi
Web: http://www.redcross.fi

Finnish Refugee Advice Centre
Mannerheimintie 40 D 79
00100 Helsinki
Tel: + 358 75 7575 100
Fax: + 358 75 7575 120
Email: pan@pakolaisneuvonta.fi
Web: http://www.pakolaisneuvonta.fi

FRANKREICH

Forum Réfugiés
BP 71054
69612 Villeurbanne cedex
Tel.: +33 4 78 03 74 45
Fax: +33 4 78 03 28 74
Email: europe@forumrefugies.org
Web: www.forumrefugies.org
Ansprechpartnerin: Cécile Lequien (Tel.: +33 4 72 77 68 02; Fax: +33 4 78 37 36 2 5; Email: clequien@forumrefugies.org)
Spricht deutsch

Amnesty International Section France
Jean-François Dubost
Responsable du service réfugiés- migrants
Tel.: 33.1.53.38.65.82
Fax: 33.1.53.38.55.00
Email : jfdubost@amnesty.fr
Spricht englisch

La Cimade
64 rue Clisson
75013 Paris
Tell : +33 1 44 18 60 50
Fax : +33 1 45 56 08 59
infos@cimade.org
http://www.cimade.org

France Terre d’Asile
24, rue Marc Seguin
75018 Paris
Tel: + 33 1 53 04 3999
Fax: + 33 1 53 04 0240
Email: info@france-terre-asile.org
Web: http://www.france-terre-asile.org

GRIECHENLAND

Greek Council for Refugees
25, Solomou street
106 82, Exarcheia
Tel: +30-210-3320000
Fax.: +30- 210-3803774
Email: gcr1@gcr.gr
Web: www.gcr.gr

GROSSBRITANNIEN

Amnesty International – International Secretariat
Refugee and Migrant Rights' Team
1 Easton Street
London
WC1X 0DW
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7413 5500
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7956 1157
Email: refteam@amnesty.org
Web: http://www.amnesty.org

Refugee Action
240A Clapham Road
London SW9 OPZ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7735 5361
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7587 3676
Web: http://www.refugee-action.org.uk

Refugee Council
240-260 Ferndale Road
London SW9 8BB
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7346 6709
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7346 6760
Email: info@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Web: http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk

Refugee Legal Centre
Nelson House
153-157 Commercial Road
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7780 3200
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7780 3201
Email: rlc@refugee-legal-centre.org.uk
Web: http://www.refugee-legal-centre.org.uk

Scottish Refugee Council
5 Cadogan Square
(170 Blythswood Court)
Cadogan Street
Glasgow G2 7PH
Tel: +44 (0) 141 248 9799
Fax: +44 (0) 141 243 2499
Email: info@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
Web: http://www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk

Welsh Refugee Council
Phoenix House
389 Newport Road
Cardiff CF24 1TP
Wales
Tel: +44 (0) 29 2048 9800
Fax: +44 (0) 29 2043 2980
Email: info@welshrefugeecouncil.org
Web: http://www.welshrefugeecouncil.org

IRLAND

Irish Refugee Council
Ballast House
Aston Quay
Dublin 2
Tel: +353 1 7645 854
Fax: +353 1 8730 088
Email: info@irishrefugeecouncil.ie
Web: www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie
Ansprechpartnerin: Stefanie Heinrich (Tel.: +353 1 873 0042; Fax: +353 1 873 0088 ; Email: stefanie@irishrefugeecouncil.ie)
Spricht deutsch

ITALIEN

CIR – Italian Council for Refugees
Via del Velabro 5a
00186 Roma
Tel: +39 06 69 200 114
Fax: +39 06 69 200 116
Email: cir@cir-onlus.org
Web: www.cir-onlus.org

LITAUEN

Lithuanian Red Cross
Gedimino pr. 3A
01103 Vilnius
Tel: +370 5 212 7322
Fax: +370 5 261 9923
Email: info@redcross.lt
Web: http://www.redcross.lt

LUXEMBURG

Caritas Luxembourg
29 rue Michel Welter
L-2730 Luxembourg
Tel: +352 40 21 31 531
Fax: +352 40 21 31409
Email: caritas@caritas.lu
Web: http://www.caritas.lu

MALTA

Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
Fr Paul Pace (Acting Country Director)
SAC Sports Complex
50, Triq ix-Xorrox
B'Kara BKR 12
Malta
Tel: +356-21-442751
Fax: +356-21-442752
Email: info@jrsmalta.org; paul@jrsmalta.org
Web: www.jrsmalta.org

NIEDERLANDE

Vluchtelingenwerk – Dutch Council for Refugees
Surinameplein 122
1058 Amsterdam
Tel: + 31 20 346 72 00
Fax: + 31 20 617 81 55
Email: info@vluchtelingenwerk.nl
Web: www.vluchtelingenwerk.nl

NORWEGEN

Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers
Torggt 22, 2 etg
Postboks 8893 Youngstorget
N-0028 Oslo
Tel: + 47 22 36 56 60
Fax: + 47 22 36 56 61
Email: noas@noas.org
Web: http://www.noas.org

Norwegian Refugee Council
Grensen 17
PO Box 6758
St Olavsplass
0130 Oslo
Tel: + 47 23 10 98 00
Fax: + 47 23 10 98 01
Email: nrc@nrc.no
Web: http://nrc.no

ÖSTERREICH

Asylkoordination
Laudonagasse 52/9
1080 Vienna
Tel: +43 1 532 1291
Fax: +43 1 532 3291
Email: asylkoordination@asyl.at
Web: www.asyl.at
Ansprechpartnerin: Anny Knapp (Tel.: +43 1 53 212 91 – 15; Email: knapp@asyl. at)

Diakonie / Protestant Refugee Service Austria
Steinergasse 3/12
1170 Vienna
Tel: +43 1 402 67 54 0
Fax: +43 1 402 67 54 16
Web: http://www.diakonie.at

POLEN

Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
ul. Zgoda 11
00-018 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 556 44 66
Fax + 48 22 556 44 51
Email: hfhr@hfhrpol.waw.pl
Web: http://www.hfhr.org.pl

Halina Nieć Legal Aid Center
Kraków 31-136, ul. Sobieskiego 7/3
Tel./fax: +48 12 633 72 23
Contact person: Katarzyna Zdybska
E-Mail: office@niecassociation.org
Web: www.niecassociation.org

Amnesty International
ul. Piękna 66A, 00-672 Warszawa
Tel./fax +48 22 827 60 00
Contact person: Maciej Fagasiński
E-Mail: amnesty@amnesty.org.pl
Web: www.amnesty.org.pl

Caritas Polska
Białystok 43-200, ul. Warszawska 32
Tel./fax: +48 85 732 55 53
E-Mail: migranci-bialystok@caritas.pl

PORTUGAL

Portugese Refugee Council
Av. Vergílio Ferreira
Lt. 764, Lj. D
1950-339 Lisbon
Tel: + 351 21 83 14372
Fax: + 351 21 83 75072
Email: qeral@cpr.pt
Web: http://www.cpr.pt

RUMÄNIEN

Romanian National Council for Refugees - CNRR
42 Anton Pann St
Sector 3
Bucharest
Tel: +40 21 322 27 86
Fax: +40 21 320 20 45
Email: office@cnrr.ro
Web: http://www.cnrr.ro

SCHWEDEN

Caritas Sweden
Ölandsgatan 42
116 63 Stockholm
Tel: + 46 8 556 020 00
Fax: + 46 8 556 020 20
Email: info@caritas.se
Web: http://www.caritas.se

Swedish Red Cross
Hornsgatan 54
Box 175 63
118 91 Stockholm
Tel: + 46 8 452 46 00
Fax: + 46 8 452 46 01
Email: webb.kontakt@redcross.se
Web: http://www.redcross.se

Swedish Refugee Aid
Box 92011
Textilgatan 43
120 06 Stockholm
Tel: +46 8 211 605
Fax: +46 8 211 685
Email: info@swera.se
Web: http://swera.se

SCHWEIZ

Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe (SFH/OSAR)
Weyermannsstrasse 10
Postfach 8154
3001 Bern
Tel: +41 31 370 7575
Fax: +41 31 370 7500
Email: info@osar.ch
Web: http://osar.ch

SLOWAKEI

Slovak Humanitarian Council
Slovenska Humanitna Rada
Parickova 18
SK-821 08 Bratislava 2
Tel: +421 2 50 200 511 20
Fax: +421 2 50 200 52 2
Email: shr@changenet.sk
Web: http://www.shr.sk

SPANIEN

CEAR – Comision Espanola de Ayuda al Refugiado
Avenida General Peron 32, 2 D
Madrid 28020
Tel: +34 91 55 50 698
Fax: +34 91 55 55 416
Email: europa@cear.es
Web: http://www.cear.es

ACCEM – Association Comision Catolica Espanola de Migracion
Plaza de Santa Maria Soledad Torres Acosta 2
28004 Madrid
Tel: +34 91 532 74 78
Fax: +34 91 532 20 59
Email: accem@accem.es
Web: http://www.accem.es

TSCHECHIEN

OPU
Veletrzni 24
Prague 7
170 00
Tel: +420 220 397 220
Fax: +420 233 371 258
Email: opu@opu.cz
Web: www.opu.cz
Ansprechpartner: Martin Rozumek (Email: martin.rozumek@opu.cz)

UNGARN

Hungarian Helsinki Committee
1242 Budapest, Pf. 317
1054 Budapest
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut 36-38
Tel: +36 (1) 321 4327
Fax: +36 (1) 321 4141
Email: helsinki@mail.datanet.hu
Web: www.helsinki.hu
Ansprechpartner: Lastofka János (Email: janos.lastofka@helsinki.hu)

ZYPERN

Future Worlds Center
5 Promitheos, 1065 Lefkosia
Tel +357 22 873820
Fax +357 22 873821
Web: http://www.FutureWorldsCenter.org/
Ansprechpartnerin: Corina Drousiotou (Email: corina@FutureWorldsCenter.org )

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NO DEPORTATION TO IRAN, REGARDLESS OF PARTY: Stand Against UK’s Deportation of Bita Ghaedi

Empfohlen von ulibee 

Im Vorlauf zu diesem Blogpost wurde dieser post via tweetlonger verbreitet. [Hinzugefügt: es wird jetzt empfohlen, Milliband den Sachverhalt nicht per Twitter zu senden, da er darauf nicht reagiert ... Alle weiteren Seiten haben ein update erhalten ...]

On Friday 16th April 2010, @Khoshkeledoc said:

reply
URGENT - BITA GHAEDI ARRESTED IN UK THIS MORNING #iranelection - PLEASE HELP!

I have been advised by Bita's partner that she was arrested this morning in the UK and is now at grave risk of being deported back to Iran where she will most certainly be arrested, putting her life in danger.

We managed to obtain nearly 2,700 signatures on our petition earlier this year http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/33778.html which was sent to the UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband. Before and since that time, Bita has been on hunger strike and is weak and distressed. Here is a review of her situation which details her exploitation both within and outside of Iran which makes her a vulnerable person at this time: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/02/445707.html

Although Bita has friends who have been connected to the PMOI in the UK, we all know that the regime are currently seeking to exaggerate such connections or even lie that they exist in order to charge innocent people, therefore Bita is in even greater danger should the UK Foreign Office choose to deport her.

There is a very strong argument that NO ONE should be forcibly returned to Iran until the corrupt, repressive regime has been replaced by a democratic government and a fair legal system.

PLEASE ring David Miliband at his local office on #44191 456 8910 or at the UK Foreign Office on #4420 7008 1500 to ask him to personally intervene to make sure Bita is NOT deported.

Please also RT this Twitlonger, copying to @DMiliband and @DowningStreet as well as @SarahBrown10 (The UK Prime Minister's wife who is known for her humanitarian work) to ask them to take action. The UK is coming up to a General Election in a month's time and we need to ensure that the voices of the 50,000 UK Iranians are heard, and their rights upheld.

We cannot let ANY Iranian be deported back to a country oppressed by the regime whom we KNOW we will be at risk of arrest, torture and worse at their hands.

PLEASE HELP - thank you.

by Maria Rohaly

We at Mission Free Iran have campaigned hard over the past few weeks for Jamal Saberi’s freedom and for his legal status as a refugee to be declared. Because of his activism for human rights and against the Islamic regime, and because his party (Worker-communist Party of Iran) is a vocal opponent of the Islamic regime, Saberi will face certain execution if he is forcibly returned. Yet in violation of its own and international laws, the Japanese government is trying to deport him to Iran.

We were determined to stop Jamal’s deportation to Iran to save his life. But we also believed that by defeating Japan’s bid to deport Saberi to Iran, we could deter other governments from attempting the same illegal act.

Because we knew there would be more cases, and more efforts to break international and national laws against violating the principle of non-refoulement. More attempts by Western governments to appease the Islamic regime by sending its opponents home to be dealt with accordingly: by execution.

And indeed, we have our next case before us: Bita Ghaedi. (You can read about her story here: 1, 2, 3.)

Her life in Iran was circumscribed, bound, tortured, and scarred by the pervasive gender-based violence she experienced. Her political activities with PMOI/MEK/MKO mark her as an opponent of the regime, and also one who will face certain execution upon return to Iran.

She has sought refuge in the UK with viable grounds for establishing refugee status. She has numerous reasons to fear for her life if she is returned, and yet today, David Miliband’s government declared that she would be deported back to Iran this Tuesday, April 20 2010.

Like Jamal Saberi, Bita Ghaedi is first and foremost a human being with human rights. Regardless of political party, regardless of ideology, the lives of these people come first. We must stand up for these people, who have committed no crimes. Their lives are treated, meanly, like pawns on a gameboard. The lion’s share of the shame in this goes to the governments that willingly sit across the table from the Islamic regime and engage with it, legitimating its torturing, murdering ways.

Our lives are not pawns for the bloody games of governments that pay nothing more than lip service to ideals of human rights, to the international laws they have committed themselves to. If these governments of Japan, of England – if they cannot manage the simple act of holding themselves accountable for the commitments they have made, then we must remind them of their place, their commitments, and to whom they are responsible: to the people. To us. To you, to me, to Bita and Jamal.

Shame on the UK.
Shame on Japan.
Shame on the human rights organizations that stay silent in the face of an onslaught of undeniable violations.

Bravo to the beautiful sisters and brothers who stand up to fight for the lives of all of the Bitas and Jamals of this world.

I close with the words of Bishop Niemoeller, from the time of the Holocaust. We know them nearly by heart, yet forget them every day:

“THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.

THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.

THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.

THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/no-deportation-to-iran-regardless-of-party-stand-against-uks-deportation-of-bita-ghaedi/

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