Refugee facing deportation from Sweden saved by fellow passengers refusing to let plane leave

Haha, this is great, it really is!

A refugee is facing deportation back to Iran, but was thankfully, temporarily, saved by every single passenger on his plane. The man has fathered children in Sweden, but must, under Swedish law, apply for residency outside of Sweden itself. This places the individual in a difficult position.

A man facing deportation from Sweden has been granted a temporary reprieve after fellow passengers aboard his flight to Iran prevented it from taking off by refusing to fasten their seat belts.

A Kurd fearing persecution in his home country of Iran, Ghader Ghalamere fled the country years ago and now has two young children with his wife Fatemeh, a Swedish resident.

As a result he qualifies for a residence permit himself – yet because of a quirk in immigration laws he is required to apply for it from outside Sweden.

While this is a short victory, it apparently isn't enough to stop the deportation. Here's hoping the Swedish government changes their mind on the matter.

On Thursday, Mr Ghalamere was put on a flight at Östersund bound for Stockholm – and ultimately Iran itself – accompanied by his friends and family in protest.

Gathering in the departure lounge, they spoke to other passengers preparing to board the flight and explained the situation.

Clearly moved, once on board the plane the other passengers refused to fasten their seat belts – a protest that prevented the pilots from being able to begin take off.

With the flight unable to go ahead as scheduled, Mr Ghalamere was removed and taken to a migrant detention centre in Gävle, central Sweden – but the country’s migration board insists nothing about his situation has changed.

Refugee facing deportation etc (Independent)

So sad that they are willing to split up families due to silly laws.

That is so touching that all the passengers acted together to keep this family together. I know whenever I'm heading out on an airplane, I have somewhere that I must be at a certain time - and I have no doubt the majority of these passengers were also on a tight and important schedule. This was a selfless sacrifice by many to try to help a stranger.

I hope things get resolved for this man and his family.

Thanks for sharing the story.

It's surprising how forgiving and long-suffering the Swedes are to have such a protest.

If one searches for Islamism and Sweden it appears that segments of the immigrant population from Muslim countries haven't behaved very well towards the native Swedes at all, and after the riots in Stockholm last year I'm surprised they haven't systematically sent large amounts of them back to where they originated from.
www.policymic.com...

The details in the article are a bit sketchy.
Why didn't it work out for him to organize everything via Norway?
What do they mean that Iran has reviewed its approach to him?
Maybe there's other reasons why they don't want this guy.
I suppose the far right would say that the people on the plane (or their poor children) will eventually get the exact exploitation from Islamists that they asked for, instead of making people from Muslim countries deal with their own refugees and problems.

They didn't have to break up the family, and they could have deported the wife and kids with him to Iran.
The father is from Iran, so let that state support and educate them.
I think it's culturally imperialist to think Iran would have immediately arrested or tortured him, and surely Muslim countries can be held to the same standards and expectations as any other.
Surely to think otherwise is "racist".
I'd like to hear Iran's view on the matter in any case, because it sounds like their image is being tarnished by a common opportunist.

reply to post by daaskapital


From the link…

Mr Ghalamere first fled the prospect of torture and execution in Iran by traveling to Turkey, where he met Fatemeh and was granted refugee status by the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees

Does Iran "torture and execute" Kurds routinely as a general rule? Sounds like theres more to it than that.

reply to post by VegHead

That is so touching that all the passengers acted together to keep this family together.

The family was on board with him out of protest. From the link…

On Thursday, Mr Ghalamere was put on a flight at Östersund bound for Stockholm – and ultimately Iran itself – accompanied by his friends and family in protest.

intrptr
reply to post by VegHead

 

That is so touching that all the passengers acted together to keep this family together.

The family was on board with him out of protest. From the link…

On Thursday, Mr Ghalamere was put on a flight at Östersund bound for Stockholm – and ultimately Iran itself – accompanied by his friends and family in protest.

Ohhhh...

Sorry I missed that.

My happy is now deflated.

intrptr
reply to post by VegHead

 

That is so touching that all the passengers acted together to keep this family together.

The family was on board with him out of protest. From the link…

On Thursday, Mr Ghalamere was put on a flight at Östersund bound for Stockholm – and ultimately Iran itself – accompanied by his friends and family in protest.

Yeah, he was accompanied by his family and friends, but others on the plane also stepped in to help with the protest.

A job well done by all i'd say.

reply to post by daaskapital


Still want to know more about "the situation" as the article tells it.

Gathering in the departure lounge, they spoke to other passengers preparing to board the flight and explained the situation.

Is it simply because the man is "Kurdish"?

www.aftonbladet.se...

Vad skulle kunna hända om du blev tillbakaskickad till Iran? – Jag var gerillasoldat och stred mot den iranska regimen i fem år i norra Irak. Jag var medlem i KDP, Kurdiska demokratiska partiet. Det finns lagar i Iran som säger att alla som stred mot den iranska regimen med vapen ska dödas. Det är därför jag inte vågar åka tillbaka till Iran. Men Migrationsverket vill inte förstå.

Part of Kurdish milita and have been fighting Iran for five years in the north of Irak? He say he will be killed by the Iranian regime due to laws that all that fight Iran with weapons should be killed.

halfoldman
It's surprising how forgiving and long-suffering the Swedes are to have such a protest.

If one searches for Islamism and Sweden it appears that segments of the immigrant population from Muslim countries haven't behaved very well towards the native Swedes at all, and after the riots in Stockholm last year I'm surprised they haven't systematically sent large amounts of them back to where they originated from.
www.policymic.com...

The details in the article are a bit sketchy.
Why didn't it work out for him to organize everything via Norway?
What do they mean that Iran has reviewed its approach to him?
Maybe there's other reasons why they don't want this guy.
I suppose the far right would say that the people on the plane (or their poor children) will eventually get the exact exploitation from Islamists that they asked for, instead of making people from Muslim countries deal with their own refugees and problems.

They didn't have to break up the family, and they could have deported the wife and kids with him to Iran.
The father is from Iran, so let that state support and educate them.
I think it's culturally imperialist to think Iran would have immediately arrested or tortured him, and surely Muslim countries can be held to the same standards and expectations as any other.
Surely to think otherwise is "racist".
I'd like to hear Iran's view on the matter in any case, because it sounds like their image is being tarnished by a common opportunist.

edit on 14-4-2014 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)

Unfortunately the ones that do the horrific crimes won't be the ones being deported. So it is hypocritical to deport someone who has a family. Sometimes I think it's what these loopy political parties want - everyone to be single or divorced and living off benefits from the government. Last thing they want is for someone to be married.