Mahdi Hidari Must Stay

Mahdi Hidari is a young Afghan man who has been refused asylum and currently faces deportation to Afghanistan where he will be in extreme danger.

Immigration officers snatched Mahdi on July 15 when they raided the home of his friend who was also taken. Mahdi spent two weeks in Dover Removal Centre before being released on bail.

Mahdi came to the UK as an unaccompanied aged 16 minor in 2002 and is a member of the Hazara tribe who are persecuted in Afghanistan and is a Shia Muslim, the minority faith. Mahdi says he fled Ghazni, Afghanistan after he was detained and ill treated by the Taliban. His father was a prominent member of Hizb-l-Wahdat, the principle Shia party in Afghanistan; the Hizbi- Nahzat Party who were assisting the Taliban murdered him in 2000. Following this the Taliban raided Mahdi's family home and took him, accusing him of working for his father's party and spying for them, which he denied.

Mahdi's family paid a large ransom for his release. Three weeks later Mahdi was accused of informing on a high-ranking member of the Hizb-i Wahdat party, Khadeem Ahmadi. Khadeem was arrested, taken to Kandahar and never seen again. Khadeem's family then made death threats against Mahdi and harassed his mother. Mahdi's uncle then arranged for his passage to the UK via an agent.

Mahdi attended his asylum appeal hearing as a 16 year old without an accompanying adult. The Home Office were not represented and the adjudicator took the view that Mahdi was not a credible witness. Unfortunately Mahdi's solicitors did not appeal the decision.

Mahdi's current legal team countered this. Dr.Antonio Glustozzi a research fellow at the London School of Economics prepared evidence for Mahdi's appeal against his deportation. Dr Glustozzi is an expert on private militias in Afghanistan and worked as a Political Affairs Officer in Kunduz and Mazar-i Sharif for the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan. Dr.Glustozzi argued that weakness and corruption in the police force in Kabul and a lack of cooperation in Hazara neighbourhood's means that former commanders who are part of the Hizb-i Wahdt network enforce security. Mahdi would therefore not receive protection from the family of Khadeem Ahmadi if they discovered his whereabouts. Additionally international troops do not protect those in the poorer neighbourhoods where Hazaras live. As a perceived traitor Madhi would also be at risk of persecution from the Commander of the Hizbi-i Wahdat party as Commanders have a vested interest in punishing those who are seen to have violated the rules because their power is derived from intimidation.

Despite this compelling evidence Mahdi's appeal against his deportation was refused.

A recent letter from the Red Cross confirms that Mahdi's mother has died since he left Afghanistan and his brother and sister are now in Iran so he has no family to shelter him.

The situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating daily. A report by Human Rights Watch dated May 2006 documents the corruption in the Police Force. They expressed, "serious concern" about the appointment of Kabul's police chief, Jamil Jumbish who Has been implicated in, "murder torture, intimidation, bribery " He has currently been investigated by the Afghan Government for the involvement in the torture and death of two men in his custody. Another report by Human Rights Watch confirms the killing of three students at Kabul University after a protest about poor living conditions, more than 20 others were shot and injured. Human Rights Watch describe the rising insecurity in Afghanistan as the Taliban are resurging and groups opposed to the Government use tactics such as suicide bombings, attacks on schools and other civilian targets to achieve their ends. Attacks, which Human Rights Watch, cite as "Serious violations of humanitarian law " in fact "War Crimes".

Mahdi has integrated well and was studying IT at Canterbury College where he had passed several GCSES. Mahidi's lecturer Debbie Haith supported his application for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Mahdi is an able student who had hoped to progress to
A- levels but in May 2005 his accommodation and subsistence from Social Services was terminated. He has only been saved from destitution by the kindness of friends. Mahdi's supporters are standing surety and providing him with a bail address. They have set up a campaign to fight for his release from detention and against his deportation.

What you can do to help
Fax/write to Liam Byrne, Minister for Immigration, the mode letter: MahdiHidariML.doc, that you can copy/amend/write your own.
Fax: 020 7035 4745 from outside the UK + 44 20 7035 4745

Or write to:
Liam Byrne, Minister for Immigration
Home Office, 3rd Floor, Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London, SW1P 4DF

Please take time to notify the campaign of any letters/faxes sent:

For further information contact:
Kate Adams
Kent Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers
079 4096 4551
kadams314@hotmail.com

Kent Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers
PO Box 192
Whitstable
Kent CT5 1WA

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Kent Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers