DEPORTATION UPDATE

Iranian activist Bita Ghaedi has received a new date for deportation after her removal scheduled for the 20th was cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud.

Bita, a fervent campaigner against the regime in Iran, had her application for asylum rejected in April after the UK Border Agency placed her application on the fast track scheme – a process that sees over 90% of claims rejected (see SchNEWS 709). She was arrested in a dawn raid and taken to Yarl’s Wood detention centre.

According to her partner, Mohsen, she is in a critical mental and physical condition. Because of Bita’s campaigning, she is seen as a ‘Mohareb’ – an enemy of God – by the Iranian regime. This is punishable by death.

Bita is due to be deported on flight BD931, leaving Heathrow at 19.00 on 5th of May. Campaigners have called for demonstration outside the Home Office in Marsham Street for this morning (30th) at 11am.

*The deportation of Sunny Idika, who was taken to Birmingham prison following last week’s disturbance after the death of a Kenyan detainee at Oakington detention centre (see SchNEWS 719), was cancelled on Monday (26th).

Cambridge Migrant Solidarity and No Borders activists had gathered at the airport for a last ditch attempt to prevent the deportation, but shortly after arriving they found out that Sunny had been taken from the airport to Colnbrook. He remains at risk. There have been rumours that further deportations of detainees involved in the Oakington protests are imminent.

*See www.ncadc.org.uk