31 July 2007

Media Release:
Hunger striker taken to hospital

GPJA understands that Iranian Ali Reza Pahan who has been on a hunger strike for 18 days was taken to Auckland hospital yesterday as a result of his protest.

Ali is protesting at his 18 month detention without trial at Auckland’s Mt Eden prison. The government wants to deport him to Iran but he knows it is unsafe for him to return because he has become a Christian. He is an Anglican and has the support of his Anglican priest as well as his former employer.

Ali is one of two remaining Iranian detainees of the five originally held. (Two others have been released on bail and one deported)

The other is the longest serving remand prisoner in the history of New Zealand. He is Amir Mohebbi who remains locked up. He has been detained in Mt Eden for three and a half years now. Amir has a New Zealand wife, Maryam, and three kiwi children and his only crime is that he refuses to put his and his family’s life in danger by signing documents agreeing to be deported to Iran.

His children are Monica (7), Milad (5) and Merila (3). Littlest Merila has never known a father who is not in jail. These kids just can’t understand and neither can we.

Ali and Amir are real people with real New Zealand lives.

Thomas Yadegary was in a similar situation but was released on bail earlier this year. However the government is appealing against his release to the Appeal Court.

GPJA is once more calling on the government to release these detainees. It is not safe for them to return to Iran. The government should release them on temporary visas until it is safe for them to return to Iran or until they can apply for New Zealand citizenship.

ENDS

© Scoop Media