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The Rahimi Larki family at home in Iran

“In Iran, Zahrieh was a systems analyst in a computing department and Ali was a mechanical engineer in a petrol refinery. They are members of the 'Organisation of Iranian Peoples' Fedaian'. They operate underground in Iran… the organisation has sent a letter dated 16th May, 2005, stating that they are members and therefore political dissidents in Iran.

“Ali was in prison in Iran for belonging to the organisation. He was sentenced to 7 years, 5 of which were to be spent in prison and 2 spent outside prison but signing on each week and not going outside the city. He was in Kavon Prison in Ahvaz City. He served 3 years and 8 months in prison when Ayatollah Montazeri suggested that due to overcrowding in prisons in Iran, some prisoners could be released 2/3 into their sentence and spend the rest signing on.

A page from one of the petitions

"In a court hearing here in the UK, the judge said that 3 years and 8 months is less that 2/3 of 7 years but is was supposed to be 2/3 of the 5 years in prison. They moved from city to city 3/4 times, living for some time in Tehran as it is a big city and so more easy to move around freely.

“Ali has a bent little finger on one hand from beatings he received in prison. He was beaten every day to make him confess about his political involvement and inform on others in the organisation. There were no doctors in the prison and a fellow prisoner bandaged his fingers. One is now straight but the other not. The torture was not raised in the court hearings here in the UK.

"Ali was held in solitary confinement for 4 months. The cell was 1m x 1m and dark. There was no toilet, only a plastic container that was emptied each day. He was moved to a bigger cell, 2m x 2m, shared by 4 prisoners. Every 6 - 12 months whilst in prison, they took blood from Ali for soldiers wounded in the Iran-Iraq war. The solicitor has the card as proof of giving blood. Ali served 3 years in the army, fighting in the Iran-Iraq war. Normally the period of military service was 2 years but he was penalized and served 3 years.

"The family arrived in the UK on 17/08/2004 and claimed asylum on arrival. They were refused in November 2004. They appealed. The appeal was dismissed by the Adjudicator. Misunderstandings arose with the UK adjudicator who thought that Ali had been released early from his prison sentence and was not in as much danger as he made out. There was no interpreter for the solicitor. Ali felt the adjudicator did not allow him to explain the terms of his sentence properly to the court interpreter, that only someone versed in Iranian law would understand the law and how it works in Iran."

UK HOME OFFICE: ASYLUM REFUSED

When Alireza Rahimi Larki's case was heard by the Immigration Appellate Authority, asylum was refused for the following reasons:

Navid and his father at home in Iran

“…the Respondent [representatives of the UK Home Office] concluded that he did not qualify under either Convention [1951 UN Refugee Convention and the 1950 European Convention on Human rights] … it was not accepted that the Appellant had been politically active as claimed.”

“It was not accepted that he would have been sentenced to seven years imprisonment if there was no evidence or that the authorities would have released him because the prison was overcrowded.”

“It was not accepted that he was detained as claimed or involved with the Fedayeen e Khalq. His claims that he was ill-treated when reporting to the police were examples of individuals abusing their positions.”

“It was considered implausible that the Appellant would have taken the risk of of continuing to carry out activities for the Fedayeen e Khalq after the treatment he had received. Had he experienced the problems he claimed he would have left Iran at an earlier point.

"He had not provided any evidence to suggest how his employer would be aware  of any political activities and it was concluded that his account was fabricated. If he had been active as claimed the authorities would have sought to arrest him before he was able to leave the country.”

I SIGNED THE PETITION, BECAUSE...

Eamonn Corduff, Chaplain at New Cross Hospital and Parish Priest at St Patrick’s, New Cross, Wolverhampton:

Fr Corduff

“I signed the petition on behalf of Ali, Zarieh and their child Navid because I believe they have great integrity and they have a just cause to remain here in the UK because of a substantial and genuine threat to their well being, if they were to return to Iran.

“They could almost definitely face imprisonment and maybe even something worse. Ali himself, was detained when he was in Iran and was treated very harshly. I’ve known them now for some months. They are a very honest family and Navid is doing very well at the primary school locally.

“They have a genuine case. They have been upset on many occasions already. I hope this will come to a head and they will be granted leave to stay.

“I signed the petition because I’ve looked at their case, I’ve spoken to them. I think they have very good grounds for staying.”

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Brief history of the case

Mrs Rahimi Larki & Navid, Wolverhampton

17 August 2004 - Zarieh Yousefi, husband Alirezah and their young son Navid arrived in the UK and claimed asylum on arrival.

25 August 2004 – Are housed in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton.

October / November 2004. Refused asylum and appeal dismissed.

16th of May 2005, 0600 BST – Seven Police officers enter family home and take the family to Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre.

16th of May 2005 – Parents begin 32 day hunger strike.

16th June 2005 - Family freed on bail.

25th July 2005, 0600 BST – Six police officers, enter family home and take them from Wolverhampton to Heathrow airport and put on a flight to Amsterdam for onward transit to Iran. The pilot refused to proceed with the flight. Solicitor asks for judicial review.

25th July 2005 - Zarieh and Navid return to Wolverhampton, without Alirezah. Alirezah is put into detention at Harmondsworth Removal Centre.

19th August 2005 – Bail hearing for Alirezah.