Deportation could spell death

Deportation could mean death for Bahareh Moradi - Immigration New Zealand is ordering the 25-year-old Iranian Christian back to Iran within the next two weeks.

It is refusing to wait for a High Court judicial review of her appeal for refugee status, or for the Iranian embassy to issue her a passport.

Three of Miss Moradi’s brothers and their families have already been granted refugee status and are living in Auckland.

One of those brothers, Hamid Moradi, says his sister is being denied her rights and sent into danger.

Converting to Christianity is – under Sharia law – an offence punishable by death.

"I can’t believe this, that this could happen in New Zealand – one of the most democratic countries in the world," says Mr Moradi, a Birkenhead resident.

"They have to let us talk at the High Court. They just have to let us talk.

"It is our last chance."

Miss Moradi’s first application for refugee status was declined in 2006.

She appealed that decision to the Refugee Status Appeals Authority, with the support of her family and her pastor.

That was denied in December 2007 in a decision that called her conversion to Christianity into question.

The family then spent $5000 hiring a lawyer to apply for a judicial review in the High Court.

Because Immigration New Zealand will not wait for its result, the family is now spending another $2500 to try for an injunction on Miss Moradi’s deportation orders.

Mr Moradi is upset the organisation is deporting his sister when it lists a judicial review as a right on its website.

"If they believe we had no right to go to the High Court then why did they let us pay $5000?

"I want a guarantee the review can go ahead even if she is in another country."

His sister has refused to sign removal papers, but has signed an application for an Iranian passport.

"I do not understand why they would not wait even for her to get a passport," says Mr Moradi.

"This way she can’t go to any countries except for Iran."

Rinny Westra is Miss Moradi and Mr Moradi’s pastor at St Aiden’s Presbyterian Church in Birkenhead.

He testified to the genuineness of her conversion at her first appeal and is protesting her deportation orders.

"She’s a Christian and her life is in danger if she goes back.

"There seems to be something very negative towards Iranian Christians."

The Department of Labour, which oversees Immigration New Zealand, is not commenting on the case because it is before the courts.

Its official statement reads:

"The department is unable to comment on a specific matter before the courts. By way of general information, lodging of judicial review proceedings is not a bar to removal.

If an individual wishes to stop removal action pending determination of such proceedings, they
can seek orders to that effect from the court. Miss Moradi has not sought such orders."

Miss Moradi was a student before she came to New Zealand, and has trained as a hairdresser.

- © Fairfax NZ News