[antiwar-van] DEMO & UPDATE ON DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN WOMAN

[No One is Illegal-Vancouver]

URGENT!! DEMO TO PROTEST DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN WOMEN
STOP THE DEPORTATIONS NOW!!

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DEMO @ CITZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION CANADA (CIC)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7 AT 8:30 AM
300 W. GEORGIA

** After the demo there will then be a caravan to the airport**

VANCOUVER AIRPORT @ INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES
9:30 AM

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UPDATE ON HALEH SAHBA

December 6, 2004

Today, December 6th, a day Canada commemorates as a day of action and
remembrance on violence against women, Immigration Canada has decided to
deport a woman back to a country notorious for its dismal human rights
record and on-going persecution of women.

Haleh Sahba is a refugee claimant in Vancouver whose case, like many other
refugee claimants in Canada, has been denied despite strong evidence that
if she returns to Iran she will face detention, persecution from an
abusive ex-husband, and possible imprisonment. Last week, after three
years of working and living in Canada with her immediate and extended
family, she was told she is to be deported on Tuesday, December 7th at
10:30 am.

Today at a hearing at the Federal Court, Immigration Canada rejected her
last chance to stay in Canada. Haleh Sahba was forced to come to Canada
with a fake passport and if she is returned she will certainly be
detained. Leaving Iran with false documents is a crime punishable by up to
five years imprisonment. She is likely to be imprisoned longer due to her
previous political involvement in Iran and her rejected refugee status in
Canada. Immigration Canada claimed that because they would not be
escorting Haleh to Iran, that she could just lie to the Iranian
authorities about where she has been for the past three years.

After the hearing, Haleh’s family and supporters, the Federation of
Iranian Refugees, No One Is Illegal, the Anti-Poverty Committee, the
Downtown Eastside Resident’s Association, the Bus Riders Union, Stop War
joined the War Resisters for a rally outside of Citizenship and
Immigration Canada (CIC) to protest Haleh’s deportation. Women in Haleh’s
family spoke strongly about the links between the women killed in Montreal
fourteen years ago and the oppression women face today in Iran.

Canada is well aware of the record of deteriorating human rights in Iran
due to the Canadian government’s own investigation into the death of
journalist Zahra Kazemi at the hands of Iranian authorities. But
Immigration Canada is still sending Haleh, and many other Iranians back to
an unsafe and potentially deadly situation. If Canada really wants to take
action on violence of women, this country must stop deporting women now.
Stop the deportations now!

For more information: http://noii-van.resist.ca

Please join us tomorrow for a demo outside of CIC, 300 W. Georgia at 9:30
am. Please also email, fax or phone the following ministers:

* SAMPLE LETTER *

Judy Sgro, P.C., M.P.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
Fax: 613-947-8319, Tel: 613-992-7774
E-mail: Minister at cic.gc.ca

Anne McLellan, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
c/o Solicitor General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Fax: 613-990-9077, Tel: 613-991-2924
E-mail: McClellan.A at parl.gc.ca


I would like to draw your attention to Haleh Sahba, a 30-year old refugee
claimant in Vancouver- Canada whose is facing deportation to Iran on
Tuesday Dec 7, 2004. Now, after 3 years of trying to build a life here,
Immigration Canada, with less than one week notice, has booked a flight to
deport her to Iran on Tuesday Dec 7, 2004 at 10:30 AM.

Haleh fled Iran as women’s right activist and student activist involved in
the movement for democracy in Iran. Haleh and others in her family have
been active since a young age for womens rights in Iran. Her aunt is a
well-known activist who fled Iran due to her work. Haleh herself was
abused by her husband due to her increasing work as an activist. Due to
her activites she was banned from Tehran University for three years
(1997-2000) and only allowed to return in 2000 with many restrictions and
conditions. In July 2000, she was arrested as one of the protest
organizers at Tehran University. Upon being released from jail, Haleh went
into hiding and fled Iran in 2000 and arrived in Canada in January 2001.

Haleh worked as assistant manager in a Star Bucks for almost 2 years also
carries a degree in English Studies and is a highly experienced piano
teacher. During her stay in Canada, she actively supported and
participated in the Iranian movement for women’s rights and volunteered
and organized with various women centres.

Haleh’s family lives in Canada. She has no one in Iran and no prospects
for employment. Being forced to return to Iran has always been her
greatest fear. Once in Iran, she will certainly be detained (leaving Iran
with false documents is a crime punishable by upto 5 years imprisonment)
and probably imprisoned for even longer due to her previous activities in
Iran and also her involvement in Canada, which places her at far greater
risk.

On November 5, 2004 Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew announced
that Canada tabled a resolution at the 59th session of the UN General
Assembly, on the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran and the
Canadian government maintains a travel advisory to Iran for Canadians.
Meanwhile, the Immigration Canada is sending Haleh, and others Iranians,
back to serious danger.

I urge you to please consider the mounting support for Haleh from
community groups, student groups, womens groups, and members of political
parties. I urge you to intervene in the case of Haleh on humanitarian and
compassionate grounds to allow her the right to remain in Canada and be
granted regularized status immediately.

Sincerely,
(Your name and address)

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No One is Illegal- Vancouver
noii-van at resist.ca
(604)682-3269 x 7149

The No One is Illegal campaign is in full confrontation with Canadian
colonial border policies, denouncing and taking action to combat racial
profiling of immigrants and refugees, detention and deportation policies,
and wage-slave conditions of migrant workers and non-status people.

We struggle for the right for our communities to maintain their
livelihoods and resist war, occupation and displacement, while building
alliances and supporting indigenous sisters and brothers also fighting
theft of land and displacement.