Family of Darwen asylum seekers deported (From Lancashire Telegraph)

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Family of Darwen asylum seekers deported

7:20am Monday 15th December 2008 in Darwen Photograph of the Author By Sally Henfield

Reza and Forouzan Rajabi

A FAMILY of Christian asylum seekers are living in fear of their lives after being told they are to be deported back to Iran.

The Rajabi family, of Darwen, are currently being held in separate detention centres after police officers, acting on Home Office orders, forced their way into their Highfield Street home early on Friday morning.

Their fight to stay in the country is being supported by leaders at Blackburn's Grace Community Church, where all three are active members.

As practicing Christians 47-year-old Forouzan, her 25-year-sold son Reza and 22-year-old daughter Sahar claim they face persecution, imprisonment and even death if they are forced to return to their native country.

Speaking from the detention centre, trainee physiotherapist Sahar, known as Rosa, said: "We cannot return home because of our religion.

“It is a very important part of our lives and something that affects our everyday actions, thoughts and words. We could never hide that away, even though it would leave us exposed to an uncertain future."

Rosa, who was born in England, added: "We are in complete shock that this has happened. The police broke down the back door and we were given just 20 minutes to pack our things. My mother and I are together at the moment, but Reza is being held somewhere else and it is terrible that we are apart.

"Our case is still open with the Home Office and there appears to have been a mistake with some paperwork, but no offices have been open over the weekend for anything to have been put right."

The family first moved to Darwen three years ago, after Forouzan converted to Christianity while in Iran. Rosa and Reza converted after arriving in England. Their father, who is a Muslim, remains in Iran.

The family are regular attendants at Grace Community church Church in Wensley Road, Blackburn, and help with translations at the Iranian bible group sessions, held in the Farsi tongue, on Thursdays.

The family had been taken to Manchester airport to prepare to leave the country when the church's pastor, Ian Ferguson, was able to intervene and have them transferred to the centres.

Mr Ferguson said: "This is a polite, respectable family - really civilised, beautiful people - and this is a devastating thing to happen to them. They do not fit the asylum image of 'scroungers,'

rather they want to contribute to our society.

"I will be meeting with solicitors and other people to see what can be done. I have spoken to the family to offer them words of encouragement and parishioners have been sending them cards and letters of support."

Darwen MP Janet Anderson said: "I am happy to look into this case but people understand that we have immigration rules and if a person does not qualify then they will have to leave the country."

The Home Office was not available for comment.

Comments(20)

Geoff909 says...
7:54am Mon 15 Dec 08

Why are there asylum seekers in this country? Are we not an island nation? I was under the impression that genuine asylum seekers should claim asylum in the first safe country they come to. So what was wrong with Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Germany, France or Belgium? Oh, wait, not as much free money handed out.