5 Actions You Can Take To Halt the Deportation of Bita Ghaedi

Really quick – An asylum seeker in the United Kingdom, Bita Ghaedi conducted a hunger strike for up to a month because she was terrified of being tortured and killed if she is forced to return to Iran. Guess what? She is being forced to go back now by the British government this coming Tuesday!

Bita sought refuge in the UK with viable grounds for establishing refugee status. In Iran, Ghaedi was bound, tortured, and scarred by pervasive gender-based violence. Her political activities with PMOI/MEK/MKO mark her as an opponent of the present regime, and also one who will face certain execution upon return to Iran. Bita has confirmed that she is “pretty sure it is benevolent, advisable and godly for them to kill me if I won’t be arrested.” There is no reason to deny her asylum claim.

So here is what you need to do:

1. Make the calls: (0191) 456 8910 to David Miliband and (020) 7035 4848 to Alan Johnson. Jam their phone-line and fill up mailboxes.

Sample message: “As a citizen of the United Kingdom, I am concerned about the deportation of Bita Ghaedi back to Iran. She was circumscribed, bound, tortured, and scarred by pervasive gender-based violence in Iran. Her political activities mark her as an opponent of the current regime, and also one who will face certain execution upon return to Iran. Bita has numerous reasons to fear for her life if she is returned. I urge you to intervene and stop her pending deportation to Iran which is this Tuesday.”

2. Change.org: Email alert to David Miliband and MP Alan Johnson to take action immediately to halt Ghaedi’s deportation. Get as many emails as possible sent to Miliband.

3. Send David Miliband a message on his Facebook account.

4. Tweet Miliband via Act.ly

5. In the U.K.? Join the DEMO this Monday!

MONDAY 19th April 2010

Assemble Home Office, Marsham Street, London @ 10am

After you are done with these, contact your local and national UK press as well as your favorite bloggers to give this issue attention!