Here is the message I got from the Keep Babi Safe in Cardiff Facebook group in support to gay Azeri artist Babi B's asylum campaign:
"Unfortunately, Babi was detained this morning during his weekly signing. He is being held at Rhymney Police Station, but could be moved to Campsfield detention centre at any point (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/401100.html).
NoBorders Wales is organising a protest outside the UKBA offices on Newport Road, Wednesday 12-1pm. More info at http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=25378079270"
Demonstration
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location: UK Border Agency offices
Street: 31 -31 Newport Road
City/Town: Cardiff, United Kingdom
For background info into this case, read:
Gay Azeri artist seeks asylum in the UK
Gay Azeri artist's asylum campaign update
Gay Azeri artist seeks asylum in the UK
Gay Azeri artist's asylum campaign update
thank you for posting about this, i will mention it on my blog
ReplyDeletehttp://www.queersunited.blogspot.com
Just received this new message via GaysWithoutBorders Yahoo group:
ReplyDeleteI am passing on this message from the friends of the Azerbaijani artist and gay asylum seeker Babi Badalov. Please support him in whatever way you can. Protesting to UK embassies has proved effective in the past!
Dear friends of Babi
My name is Hywel Bishop, excuse me writing from Babi's email address. He has given me his password so that I could contact you all. I have some bad news! Babi was detained yesterday (tuesday) when attending his weekly signing at the UK Border Agency building in Cardiff. He is now in Rumney police station in Cardiff and is due to be take to a detention centre very soon. He has been given deportation directions for this Saturday 20 September.
Please rest assured that all of us here in Cardiff who know and love Babi are doing all that we can to stop this deportation. It will NOT take place!
I was able to visit Babi in the police station. Sorry to have to say but he is not good. I am very woried about him. He is very sad. But he also remains hopeful, as hopeful as he can under the circumstances. We are looking for anyone who has witnessed anything that happened to Babi while in Azerbaijan to provide statements of what you saw. This could be very useful in helping Babi stay in Cardiff where he belongs. We are holding a demonstration outside the UK Border Agency building 31-33 Newport Rd. For those of you that can make this it would be very good if you could come along and show your support.
I wont be checking this email as regularly as my own, so if anyone wants to get in contact please email me on bishoph1@cardiff.ac.uk. You can also phone me on 07761233686. I will be able to explain the situation to you in more detail. Check out the No Borders South Wales blog for more details and for ways in which you can help Babi, such as writing letters to the Home Secretary: http://noborderswales.wordpress.com/.
Also when we find out which detention prison Babi has been taken I can give you phone contact details so that you can speak to him. I'm sure he would appreciate this very, very much!
Like I said we are already fighting very hard to stop this deportation. Four days is a very long time. It is not going to take place.
Best wishes to you all
cheers
Hywel
Babi thread on LGBT Asylum News
http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/search/label/Babakhan%20Badalov
Also - Babi has been detained. DEMONSTRATE!
ReplyDelete(No Borders South Wales)
A group of supporters of the Azerbaijani artist and gay asylum seeker Babi Badalov picketed the Home Office's Border Agency in Cardiff today.
ReplyDeleteAmongst the many protesters was Leanne Wood AM and TV cameras and reporters were present.
Supporters are seeking to delay any deportation while vital new evidence is presented concerning Babi's psychological wellbeing and the threats that have been made to him. Babi remains in Rhymney police station.
The campaign to save Babi remain confident that Saturday's threatened expulsion will not take place, but if necessary protesters will focus on the airline responsible for the proposed deportation, a tactic which has met with some success in recent cases.
source: http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2008/09/cardiff-picket-for-babi.html
Report: Babi to be deported on Saturday
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