Iranian man sews up eyes, ears and mouth in asylum appeal protest

AN Iranian Kurdish man living in Nottingham has sewn up his eyes, ears and mouth in protest at his treatment

Abas Amini, 33, has been on hunger strike for a week and doctors say he could die within days.

He was granted asylum two months ago but his protest was triggered by a Home Office decision this week to appeal the decision.

If he is sent back to Iran, he says he will be executed for his political past.

Tania Branigan, a journalist who has been following his case, says his claims of being tortured in Iran are genuine.

“He’s actually a fairly well-known political poet. He’s also been a Communist guerrilla for many years and has been in and out of prison for much of his life, has been tortured repeatedly.

“And in fact his claims of torture were backed up by the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture,” Ms Branigan said.

Mr Amini is reported to be threatening to burn himself to death if anyone forces him to eat Mr Amini fled jail in Iran for Britain two years ago, where he applied for asylum.

The medical foundation’s report backing his torture claims was submitted with his application.

But the asylum process has been difficult for Mr Amini, who at one stage was denied benefits because he refused to move house. His wife and three-year-old son have remained in Iran.

After five adjournments, an immigration tribunal said he could stay, but the Home Office disagreed and decided to appeal

Now Mr Amini is refusing all medical attention, including antibiotics and painkillers, despite developing an eyelid infection. He says he will stop his protest if the British government withdraws its appeal.

Mr Amini said: “I spent many years in prison being tortured; I was forced to flee here. Shouldn’t a human being have a square foot of earth to live on to live in peace?”

Sam Azad, of the International Federation of Iranian Refugees, said Mr Amini had told him he was taking a stand for all the people in this country suffering from a lack of human rights.

"He needs support, not to be antagonised ,” Mr Azad said.