Golbaghi Koukia must Stay in Canada

April 2, 2001

The IFIR – Canada has initiated several actions in defence of Iranian asylum seekers to be deported to Iran, including on behalf of Padram Golbaghi Koukia and his partner Rozita Ziaee who have a serious and well-founded fear of persecution based on their political activities against the Islamic regime and because of their present activities against the Iranian government in Canada. The family were to have been deported in December but instead went into hiding. Their child was prohibited from attending school. As a result of IFIR-Canada’s campaign, numerous trade unions and organisations have demanded that the family be granted asylum. According to Homa Arjomand, Spokesperson for the IFIR- Canada Branch, the IFIR-Toronto Branch and the Parkdale Community Legal Services reactivated Educational Act section 21(1)(a) which states ‘a school board may not refuse admission of any child under the age of eighteen to an elementary or high school,’ though it had been frozen.

To support the family send letters of protest to Elinor Caplan, Minister of Citizenship and immigration demanding that they be granted asylum and that their deportation be stopped.