Wednesday
Mar312010
UPDATED Iran Appeal: Japan's Deportation of Jamal Saberi
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 5:48 
UPDATE 31 MARCH: Mission Free Iran has posted a set of reports and interviews on the protest of 28 March.The next demonstration will be today from 1-3 p.m. in front of the Japanese Embassy in Washington as part of a "Global Day of Action". The organisers post, "Please remember: you are fighting to save Jamal, but you are also fighting:
— FOR thousands of Iranian and non-Iranian refugees worldwide, &
— AGAINST the Islamic Regime’s ongoing efforts to silence dissent outside its borders."
UPDATE 25 MARCH: Mission Free Iran has announced another protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in Washington. Organised around the theme of "Give Cherry Trees, Not Refugees" (Japan gave the hundreds of cherry trees that bloom around Washington's Tidal Basin in the spring), the protest will begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday, 28 March.
MFI has also written an open letter to "Friends in Japan" asking them to "join with the global peoples’ movement" in support of Saberi.
UPDATE 23 MARCH: Mission Free Iran has posted Maria Rohaly's statement at the Sunday protest: "Japan must uphold refugee rights for Jamal Saberi and all others like him, according to international standards, and we extend this demand throughout the world wherever refugee rights are threatened.
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Mission Free Iran writes:
Japan has begun deportation procedures against prominent Iranian dissident and human rights activist Jamal Saberi (Jalal Amanzadeh Nouei), a resident of the country for the past 18 years.
Japan’s effort to forcibly return an Iranian political activist constitutes a violation of the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits forcibly returning a person to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened. Mr. Saberi has a well-founded fear of persecution by the Islamic regime. He warrants recognition as a political refugee and merits protections under UN agreements on the Status of Refugees, to which Japan is a signatory.
The Saberi case has global implications: If Japan flouts human rights standards and international principles on the status of refugees, consequences for refugees worldwide will be dire. We consider especially the impact of Japan’s actions on thousands of new Iranian refugees surviving precariously in Turkey.
Protesters will gather outside the Japanese Embassy in Washington DC on Sunday, 21 March at 1 p.m. to demand that Japan set the appropriate international precedent in this matter by freeing Jamal Saberi, stopping the deportation proceedings, formally establishing Saberi’s refugee status, and implementing appropriate protections to preserve his life.
tagged Iran, Jamal Saberi, Japan, Maria Rohaly, Mission Free Iran, Refugees in Middle East & Iran
Iran, Jamal Saberi, Japan, Maria Rohaly, Mission Free Iran, Refugees in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (19)
Why is Japan doing this? Does this have anything to do with Larijani’s his recent trip to Japan? Did Larijani bribe any Japanese official?
@Megan
Obviously!
However, though It's likely that the US will send a diplomat over there to counter the deal the Iranians. The Japanese response, however, will be the most interesting part
I don't know what deal they have made that they are willing to tarnish their reputation. Perhaps the will come out and say that he had committed crime in Japan.
Petition Campaign 'Stop deportation of Jamal Saberi' including ready-to-email form letter to the Japanese Ministry of Justice and UNHCR IN Japan:
http://hambastegi.ruzeroshan.com/jamalS/jamal291.php?nr=90828065&lang=en
Aside from international UN agreements, Japan is actually defying its own immigration law, the Amendment to the Immigration control act [http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/newimmiact/newimmiact_english.html], effective 15 July 2009.
Part 6: Clear wording of the prohibition of deportation under conventions including the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
“It is stipulated that the destination of deportation shall not include the countries as prescribed in Article 3, paragraph(1) of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, when any person subject to deportation shall be deported to a country.”
Article 3 of the Convention is the protection against refoulement where a person has a well-founded fear of being victimized, torture, or death. This is the international standard for refugee and amnesty law, which Japan seemingly reiterated on its own, last year.
Joanne, you work it, girlfriend. This is great work you've done here. So, let's review:
By initiating deportation procedures against Jamal Saberi,
1) Japan is breaking the international agreements it has committed to
2) Japan is breaking its own laws
3) Japan is facilitating unlawful detention, torture, and probable execution
Now, wait a minute... I thought we were talking about Japan. That sounds an AWFUL lot like the Islamic Republic!
Think about it, Japan. Who do you align with, the citizens or the murderous Islamic regime? Choose wisely:
The Islamic Regime is not so popular these days. People in the market for new cars, electronics, and video games, well... we kind of LIKE the freedom movement in Iran. Americans from the left and from the right of the political spectrum often seem like they can't agree on anything, but there is ONE thing that we all come together on, and THAT is our unambiguous support for the movement that demands freedom and self-determination of the Iranian people.
If you side with the Islamic Regime by turning freedom-fighter and human rights activist Jamal Saberi over to them to be executed, it might as well be your finger on the trigger of the gun that killed Neda.
Think about what a nice marketing campaign that would be.
Joanne and Maria, "Bravo"!
Unfortunately, I can't go. Rallies here keep being held between noon and 3 PM on Sundays (what's with that time slot?) and for various reasons, that's the worst time of the week for me to get away from work. However, I am definitely there in spirit and hope there is a large and motivated crowd, so they can be heard inside the embassy!
[...] beschließt Ausweisung des Menschenrechtsaktivisten Jamal [...]
Thanks, everyone, for your ongoing support of Jamal Saberi, and by extension, Iranian refugees in Turkey & elsewhere living under threat. :) We have a report of Sunday's demo here: http://wp.me/PKzXK-7l - and we will do what we promised: we return to the Japanese Embassy on Sunday March 28 at 3pm. We're not backing down.
It's just shameful for a country like Japan to be deporting someone like Sabery under such circumstances.
Read my letter to the Japanese Consulate, and write your own: http://www.dissectednews.com/2010/03/japan-helps-iran-murder-activist.html
Ditto on what Maria said..work it girlfriend...haha.
Catherine thank you for posting the link and James great letter and thank you for sending!
Amazingly, Maria has already organized another protest!
We are going to go back this Sunday, March 28, at 3:00 pm (ahem, Kevin) and continue to remind Japan that we will not stand for their trading human beings.
The FB event link is here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108501492500823
I also saw that Free Jamal! is organizing a Global Day of Action on Wednesday March 31: http://freejamal.blogspot.com/2010/03/global-day-of-action-wednesday-31-march.html
Go Go, Maria and Joanne.
We have to act on this collectively if we want results.
J
Maria,
As an Iranian American, I thank you from bottom of my heart for your efforts.
I will be out of town for the 31st protest in front of the embassy but will join you for the following week.
Again, thank you!!
Dear Cina,
We are all in this together. And so I also thank you sincerely for your support. It would not be easy to get out there every weekend if I didn't have words like these from you.
Well, looks like we're going to make it 3 weekends in a row in front of that Embassy. Eventually Japan will get the idea that we're not going to go away til our demands are met. :)
Can't wait to stand out there with you.
~Maria.
Josh, you said it. And I am so proud of the way so many of us are working together. Somehow things are just clicking now in a way they weren't before. It's incredible, and it makes me know that we can do this.
xoxo
Maria.
Ok, will be out there shortly! I am tryin to get free from work .. just to try to add my (hopefully loud) voice and make a statement that this precedent of ignoring non-refoulement should not be set! Saberi's persecution upon return to Iran is practically a "given", which makes this case one that will be followed closely. If Japan gets away with it without much pressure, then it will encourage other countries, including those bordering on Iran, to follow suit. Even if a little "hullabulub" is created, then it will still discourage future events because authorities will not believe that such deportations will go unnoticed.
Thanks, Marie, for organizing, and Free Jamal :)
Kevin, if I could somehow virtually hug you...anyway, thank you so much for coming last week.
The Free Jamal campaign has done a wonderful job organizing this worldwide Day of Action. Scott, thank you for helping to keep Jamal's story in the news.
We will be back out in front of the Japanese Embassy in DC again this Sunday, April 4. Happy Easter, indeed.