Mehdi Mirzae, 26, a national of Afghanistan and long time resident of
Manchester is currently being detained in Dungavel IRC and due to be
forcibly removed from the UK @ 03:00 hrs by Charter Flight PVT 800 on
Tuesday 23rd November to Afghanistan. Please help us to fight his
imminent deportation.

Mehdi in Manchester

Since arriving in the UK in 2003 Mehdi has established himself as part
of the local community in Manchester. He has tirelessly worked to
increase the opportunities for young people to get involved in sport,
particularly football. He set up a local football team called Omid FC
and also finds the time to volunteer with the Manchester Hazara
Community Organisation as a sports co-ordinator. Mehdi is the driving
force behind the Omid FC. He has supported them to enter tournaments
and they have travelled across the country playing football with other
teams in different cities. Mehdi organised a tournament himself for
other grassroots teams in Manchester and he has been recognised by
local football teams and community organisations for his commitment
and dedication and promotion of the game as a force for community
cohesion and social inclusion for young people.

In 2006, in Manchester, Mehdi was brutally attacked by an unknown
assailant who stabbed him in the eye with a screwdriver. This attack
has had a serious impact on Mehdi's physical health and emotional and
mental wellbeing. Mehdi has been left with hearing, sight and other
sensory difficulties. He was also further traumatised by the attack
becoming more depressed and fearing for his safety. Despite this
attack and the difficulties he faced he still found the energy to
promote football and support young people to get involved in the game.
Mehdi fled Afhganistan after his family were murdered due to his
father's involvement in an anti-government group. Mehdi was detained
by the authorities in Afghanistan and tortured but his uncle helped
him escape and he fled to the UK.
The UK Border Agency refuse to believe that Mehdi's life is under
threat if he returns to Afghanistan. However, Mehdi's uncle informed
him that the authorities have been searching for him since he fled the
country in 2003 and believes his life would be in danger and he would
be tortured again if he returned. Mehdi therefore fears for his life
if he is returned to Afghanistan and is increasingly distressed and
distraught by his imminent removal to Kabul.

Do something now to help:

Friends of Mehdi in Manchester are campaigning over the weekend to
keep an outstanding member of their community where he belongs in
Manchester.

Please email Jenny at lomasjenny@yahoo.co.uk or 07795567447 for
information about what you can do over the weekend, there's lots to do
so whatever time you have if you can spare even ½ hour please get in
touch.

Email Theresa May:

If you can please write to Theresa May reminding her that Afghanistan
a failed state: A state having little or no governance, endemic
corruption, profiteering by ruling elites, very poor Human Rights, the
government cannot/will not protect the population from others or
itself, massive internal conflict, forced internal/external
displacement, institutionalised political exclusion of significant
numbers of the population, progressive deterioration of welfare
infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses) not adequate to
meet health, needs, progressive economic decline of the country as a
whole as measured by per capita income, debt, severe child mortality
rates, poverty levels.

Please ask her to stop the removal of Mehdi, release him from
detention and reconsider his case with a view to giving some form of
refugee protection. Remind her that if she does this Mehdi will be
able to continue his unique contribution to the Manchester community.

The following information can be used to contact Theresa May:
Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP
Secretary of State for the Home Office,
2 Marsham St London SW1 4DF
Fax: 020 7035 4745

mayt@parliament.uk
UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

When emailing make sure you include the following information:

Mehdi Mirzae (Home Office ref: M119648) aged 26 is a national of
Afghanistan and long time resident of Manchester. He is currently
detained in Dungavel IRC and due to be forcibly removed from the UK @
03:00 hrs by Charter Flight PVT 800 on Tuesday 23rd November to
Afghanistan.

For more information and a template letter please see
http://www.freemovement.org.uk/Media-4/MehdiMirzaeTM.doc