No One Is Illegal-Toronto is currently working with a number of people
facing deportation or a refusal to regularize their status. Please read
about the three cases below that need urgent support.

If you can write a support letter, please email [email protected],
and please sign the petition for Mr. Zahir Ofuq, at the link below:
http://www.petitiononline.com/OfuqNOII/petition.html

Also, look out for upcoming events in support of S., Levon and Zahir and
come out and support.

1)Iranian Anti-Sharia Law Activist Facing Deportation to Iran
2)Levon Haftvan - Armenian-Iranian Artist, Director, Writer and Refugee
Facing Deportation
3)Zahir Ofuq, Philosopher, Writer and Refugee from Afghanistan

Check out toronto.nooneisillegal.org for more info.
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1)Iranian Anti-Sharia Law Activist Facing Deportation to Iran

S. is a young Iranian woman who fears torture and imprisonment if she is
deported to Iran. After escaping an abusive marriage she has lived in
Canada for almost five years. While in Canada, she became an outspoken
critic of Islamic arbitration and was an active member of women's groups
opposing the introduction of Sharia Law in Ontario courts.

If returned to Iran, the young woman fears that an Islamic fundamentalist
state may not only refuse to recognize her divorce, but will also
persecute, torture, and imprison her because of her outspoken views on
Islamic law.

On March 12th her deportation was stayed and on March 28th, S. was granted
an appeal to stay in Canada. However, her temporary relief has come to an
end, Canada’s Federal Court rejected her application and she is facing
imminent deportation. As a last resort S. is filing a Pre-Removal Risk
Assessment with the aid of a new lawyer Jackie Esmonde.

Iran is a country known for its human rights abuses and has a deplorable
record on women’s rights and on the brutal treatment of dissenters, the
murder of Canadian journalist and photographer Zahra Kazemi has
illustrated this point. If the Iranian government can brutally murder a
Canadian citizen, the life of a deportee who was an outspoken critic of
Islamic law is in peril.

The following is some information regarding her case:

1. Her former husband has a history of being abusive and has made threats
towards her since she divorced him last year. Her family and his family
have also threatened her on this basis. There is no protection for victims
of gender-based violence in Iran.

2. She is a prominent activist in Canada, who may well have come to the
attention of Iranian authorities

3. She would continue her activism in Iran, placing her at risk.

If you are able to write a letter in support of S.’s Pre Removal Risk
Assessment please email [email protected] or call 416.893.4053.

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Levon Haftvan - Armenian-Iranian Artist, Director, Writer and Refugee

Mr. Haftvan is an Iranian-Armenian artist, director and writer, who has
been residing in Canada for almost 12 years. After over a decade in this
country Mr. Haftvan faces deportation to Iran on January 11, 2007. As an
Armenian-Iranian, known for staging controversial plays, and a long-time
human rights activist Mr. Haftvan would be in great danger if returned to
Iran.

Mr. Haftvan is well known in the Toronto theatre community, he has staged
dozens of productions in Farsi, English, as well as Armenian and Russian.
His work has a tremendous artistic range from serious dramatic productions
such as Harold Pinter’s The Lover and Chekhov’s Seagull to more humorous
pieces such as Sun . . . day produced by his ReeRa productions.

Mr. Haftvan’s productions would be seen as controversial, particularly
from the vantage point of an oppressive Islamic Government known for their
human rights abuses as they often focus on female sexuality and sexual
relations. A prominent example of this kind of treatment of the female
character could be seen in Mr. Haftvan’s one woman piece Perchance to
Dream, which weaved together a patchwork of references to canonical
theatre pieces such as Hamlet, Pygmalion as well as Cinderella. Once
again, this kind of a treatment of an over-sexualized female character,
parading on the stage in a nightgown is taboo for an Islamic audience in
Iran, a country that dictates the wearing of the veil.

As a prominent member of the Armenian community, Mr. Haftvan faces
additional risks in Iran. Many of Mr. Haftvan’s productions draw
inspiration from prominent Armenian writers and artists. His last English
Language production, which was staged in Toronto in the first week of
December 2006 was based on the Armenian-American playwright William
Saroyan’s play Hello Out There. As a director known for his Armenian roots
and for featuring this part of his identity in his work, Mr. Haftvan would
be in considerable danger if returned to Iran under the thumbs of an
Islamic government committed to eradicating the presence of religious
minorities.

Censorship and the suppression of Iranian artists, journalists and
academics are widely practiced by the Islamic Government of Iran. The
recent murder and rape of Iranian-Canadian photo-journalist, Zahra Kazemi
is one small example of the daily brutalities committed by the government.
A recent report titled Iran: Amnesty International concerned at increasing
censorship circulated by Amnesty International on December 6, 2006 states:

“Amnesty International is greatly concerned at the rising tide of
censorship in Iran and the government’s continuing harassment of human
rights defenders. The blocking of access to Internet sites, closure of
newspapers and websites, the banning of books, and arrests and
intimidation of journalists, bloggers and human rights defenders who
spread the news of human rights violations indicate the Iranian
authorities’ continuing and increasing restriction of the right to freedom
of expression, including the right to freedom to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas.”

Mr. Haftvan is not only an artist, and an Armenian, he is also a long time
human rights activist who has taken part in international human rights
campaigns in defense of Iranian intellectuals, artists and human rights
defenders such as Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo and renowned Investigative
Journalist Akbar Ganges. Mr. Haftvan helped to organize public rallies,
meetings, media campaigns and petitions in support of these highly visible
Iranian prisoners.

Upon his arrival in Canada Mr. Haftvan filed for refugee status, and was
denied due the failures of our immigration system. After many years of
living, working and community building in Canada Mr. Haftvan applied for a
Humanitarian and Compassionate Application. His application was accepted
before September 11, 2001 but put on hold after September 11 due to an
extensive security check which Mr. Haftvan finally passed. At that point
Mr. Haftvan’s application was once again stalled and he was asked to
complete an additional medical examination. Mr. Haftvan wrote a letter
asking for the reason for an additional medical exam. His letter was never
answered and in turn he was sent notice informing him that due to his
failure to complete the medical exam his Humanitarian Application was
considered abandoned and he was to leave Canada. At that point Mr. Haftvan
completed a second Pre-Removal Risk Assessment on his own (This
application has an over 98% failure rate) not surprisingly that
application was rejected and Mr. Haftvan was issued a deportation order
for January 11, 2007. Currently, Mr. Haftavn is working with No One is
Illegal Toronto and the Downtown Legal Services in order to stop his
deportation.

As a prominent artist, Armenian, and activist Mr. Haftvan is a natural
target for the Islamic Republic of Iran, if returned to his country of
birth, he is sure to become yet another victim.

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Zahir Ofuq, Philosopher, Writer and Refugee from Afghanistan

Zahir Ofuq is a philosopher, writer and as a part of the resistance
against the Mujahidin government he fled persecution from Afghanistan. He
has been in Canada for ten years, but was denied protection because of
perceived connections to the former communist regime.

Zahir Ofuq has written nearly 10 books, and over 80 published essays and
articles. These are all academic publications in the areas of sociology,
philosophy, literature and language Zahir is renowned for his work on
philosophy, and for his work on Afghanistan.

He is currently attempting to gain some form of status in Canada since all
removals to Afghanistan are currently suspended. However, his family
remains in Pakistan, in hiding, and in constant danger from extremist
organizations of various types, as well as the general situation of war
that currently exists in Afghanistan.

SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT ZAHIR AND HIS FAMILY!

http://www.petitiononline.com/OfuqNOII/petition.html

The contents of the Petition are Below and on the Website Above

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PETITION

To: the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration,
and to:
Citizenship and Immigration Operations, Group Sponsorships GTA Central Office

The Ofuq family is living in hiding in Pakistan, having fled persecution
in Afghanistan many years ago. Their father is here, and they have been
separated from him for twelve years, partially due to administrative
delays beyond their control. The situation in Pakistan is deteriorating,
putting them at significant risk, and they also face the danger of removal
to Afghanistan at any time, a country considered so dangerous that
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will not remove people there. The
family needs to be brought here, reunited with their father and given
safety as soon as possible. A group of five Canadian citizens have decided
to sponsor the family's entry to Canada; we ask you to add your voice to
hasten the processing of this sponsorship.

As per the Objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
regarding refugees and immigrants (Section 3 (2) and (1) d ) including:
“…to recognize that the refugee program is in the first instance about
saving lives and offering protection to the displaced and persecuted..” We
the below signed would ask that you expedite the group of five sponsorship
for Ms Rohma Ofuq and her two children Wranga and Khushal (being sponsored
by the SFA Sponsorship Group).

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For More Information on Conditions in Afghanistan:
http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/asia/afghan-bck1023.htm

For More Information on the Ofuq Family Case email: [email protected]
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No One Is Illegal-Toronto
toronto.nooneisillegal.org
[email protected]