IKWRO has two current vacancies for employment for a Campaign Worker and a Training and Development Officer. For more information, and how to apply, click here.
We also need volunteers, especially those with skills in languages or fundraising. If you can help with either of these please contact us.
Emergency protest at Heathrow to stop Bita Ghaedi's illegal deportation
Monday, 03 May 2010 21:11
The protest will take place at Heathrow airport this Wednesday May 5th. Convene outside Boots store at 3pm on first floor of Terminal 1.
The aim of the protest is to get groups of volunteers together to hand out leaflets to Bita's fellow passengers at the BMI check-in desk. We will explain the situation to them and what will probably happen to her if she is deported. (If you cannot attend the protest then details for other urgent action is below).
We can also encourage the passengers on Bita's flight to board the plane, but then to refuse to sit down until Bita is removed. The plane cannot take off until everyone is sat down and the flight crew cannot force anyone to sit down.
Additionally, we will hand leaflets to the general public at the airport and encourage them to contact the BMI head office and complain directly and to plead not to deport Bita.
Security will notice what we are up to quickly and ask us to leave. We shall work in groups, one pair of volunteers to leaflet and talk to people, and if they're removed by security they are replaced by a second pair of volunteers.
These tactics have been successful in the past for the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) and Student Action for Refugees (STAR).
If you are a photographer come along, take part and take photos. Even if Bita is deported, photographic evidence is useful for a campaign to get her returned, which has been successful in the past too.
If you cannot attend the protest then you can do the important job of pressuring Nigel Turner the BMI chief executive to remove Bita from the plane. MOST airlines refuse to take part in forcible deportations so you are fully justified to complain and kick up a fuss. Fax, email (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
) or call the head office switchboard +44 (0)1332 854000. A sample statement:
“I am concerned about the deportation of Bita Ghaedi to Iran on a BMI flight BD931 this Wednesday at 7pm to Tehran. She is a refugee in the UK and her political activities mark her out as an opponent of the current Iranian regime. If you let Bita onto this flight she is very likely to face [legal] execution when she reaches Tehran. I urge you to intervene and stop her being forced onto this flight. Under United Nations regulations this deportation is illegal. MOST airlines refuse to take forcibly removed refugees. If you allow Bita Ghaedi on that flight you are sending her to her death."
More information about the Bita Ghaedi case here.
Save Bita Leaflet A5
