November 1 2006 marks two years in Mt Eden Remand Prison for Iranian asylum seeker Thomas Yadegary. Thomas is an Iranian chef who is being held because he refuses to sign papers which would result in him being forced to return to Iran where his life would be at risk. On Saturday October 28, around 60 people, including Thomas' support group, local Christian groups including Pax Christi, Global Peace Aand Justice Auckland, the Worker's Party and the Green Party picketed Mt. Eden prison calling it, "Labour's own Guantanamo Bay, here in the heart of Mt.Eden". Thomas is due to appear in court on Friday November 3rd and GPJA will join his supporters in court for his appearance. GPJA has been campaigning for Yadegary's release and has picketed the immigration offices in 2005(See photo-left).

For the past 23 months Thomas Yadegary, an Iranian, has been imprisoned without charge or trial in Auckland’s Mt Eden prison. Last week Associate Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove once again washed his hands of Thomas’s situation so his detention is due to continue indefinitely. Thomas came to New Zealand in 1993 and applied for refugee status. For 12 years he worked hard and was a model citizen. Despite the strong support of a wide circle of friends and his Christian community, which includes support from his Catholic bishop, his application was turned down and on 1 November 2004 he was taken into custody at Mt Eden to await deportation. He has been there since. [ Read More ]

Links: Scoop Report: Amnesty Does U-Turn On Yadegary Case | Scoop Backgrounder | Comment on No Right Turn