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REFUGEE ACTION CONDEMNS FORCED REMOVALS TO BAGHDAD

FOREIGN OFFICE CALLS BAGHDAD 'HIGHLY DANGEROUS'

Thursday October 15th 2009

FORTY Iraqis were forcibly deported to Baghdad this morning despite Foreign Office warnings about the 'highly dangerous' situation.

The UK's Foreign Office website is advising against all travel to Baghdad and the surrounding areas, and states: "The situation remains highly dangerous with a continuing high threat of terrorism throughout the country. This includes violence and kidnapping." The travel advice also warns that targets in Baghdad have included aid agencies like the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Today's deportations are the first removals of refused asylum seekers to central Iraq in six years.

Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, said: "If Baghdad is now deemed to be safe then where on earth is deemed dangerous? The Foreign Office itself has stated that even peaceful and non-political aid agencies like the Red Cross are not safe from attack. We believe that people who come from areas where there is widespread violence or human rights abuses should be granted temporary humanitarian protection until the situation in their country changes.

In the first six months of 2009, 1,891 civilians were reported to have died because of violence in the region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has also states that no Iraqis from the five central provinces - including Baghdad - should be forcibly returned.

Mr Buchan added: "We urge the government to listen to its own advice and that of the UN Refugee Agency and halt forced removals now until we can guarantee the safety of returnees in an humane and dignified manner."

ENDS

For more information contact Julia Ravenscroft, Press Officer at Refugee Action, on 0161 831 5454 or 07771 748 159 or Dan Hodges, Head of Communications, on 0207 654 7707/ 07713 621 252.

Notes:

For Foreign and Commonwealth Office Guidance on Baghdad go to: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/iraq
Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and support their settlement through community development work. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 27 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees and advised more than 40,000 asylum seekers and refugees last year.