Call for immediate fundraising for Jamal Saberi!

We thank all of you who helped to save Jamal from the danger of being deported to Iran and getting him out of detention in Japan. However, we wanted to inform you that Jamal urgently needs financial support.

When the Free Jamal Campaign was first informed about Jamal’s situation we contacted friends and supporters and were able to send Jamal some funds. Due to his immigration status Jamal is not allowed to work in Japan - this means he needs regular monthly financial support for his living expenses and also to be able to take legal action to get asylum in Japan or a safe 3^rd country.

Thus we are calling on you good people and progressive organisations who have helped us in the campaign so far to support Jamal financially.

You can send your donations to IFIR branches or donate via paypal to

Count me in - Iran http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html

Please specifiy in all cases that the donation is for Jamal Saberi. Please also drop us a quick line at freejamalcampaign@gmail.com to let us know that you have made a donation.

Jamal very much welcomes your continued support!

Warm wishes

Free Jamal Campaign

IFIR contact:

www.ifrs.se

www.hambastegi.org

Tel.: 004631-453346

Plusgiro 200974-4

asadiabe@yahoo.se

Tel: 0046-73 717 88 19

Majid_hamidian@yahoo.se

Tel: 0046-739096603

Box 11103

404 23 Göteborg Sweden

Orgnr: 802400-9216

Adress: Linnegatan21

(Hagabion-ViktoriahusetA)

More significant support for Jamal in Japan!

Japan report 6 April 2010
Today was another busy and successful day for Farshad Hosseini on his mission in Japan. He met with representatives of the Japanese Railway Workers' union, International Workers Solidarity and the Refugee Support Network in Japan today.

Farshad met with Mr Tanaka Yasuhiro, the president of Doro-Chiba (National Railway Motive Power Union of Chiba), Mr Yamamoto, the secretary treasurer of International Labor Solidarity Committee of Doro-Chiba, Mr Seto and Mr Tazaki as well as Ms Sogame from the Refugee Support groups.Farshad Hosseini asked for support from the trade unions and organisations for Jamal as a symbol and representative of the opposition and revolution against the Islamic regime of Iran.

The TU representatives stated that they know Jamal and that he has been their link with Iran and the opposition there. They promised to use all their resources including international links to make sure that Jamal is supported.

This is a significant boost to the free Jamal campaign!

Farshad also met with Mrs Noriko Watanabe, Jamal's solicitior and discussed Jamal's case in detail and ways of supporting his case. Mrs Watanabe stated that the campaign to free Jamal has helped to temporarily stop the deportation of Jamal, but the Ministry of Immigration could speedily refuse Jamal’s case and deport him. She stated that the Immigration officials believe that the ‘supposed danger to Jamal is political propaganda’ and 'no danger awaits him'. She also stated that the most probable route is political for Jamal rather than legal, or it may be possible to facilitate to transfer him to another country.Mrs Watanabe has asked that all correspondance and support be copied to her directly to be added to his case as supporting documents.

Farshad has also tried to contact the Ministry of Immigration, they have refused to see him but have confirmed that they are aware of his case. Farshad is planning to see UNHCR and Amnesty International.

Report and video from London protest

We gathered at 4 opposite the Japanese embassy. There is a big four lane road between us and the security staff of the embassy who kept his eyes on us all the time. A big road that brings plenty of people along to find out about Jamal. At first we stand quietly with our banner and placards. Then we started using the loudhailer; it is strong enough to get across the road and down the road, despite the traffic. As soon as we started to speak the security staff at the embassy moved into action and after a couple of minutes the police arrived. They had a brief conversation with the staff and left. I guess the police informed them about our freedom of speech, even with a loudhailer. The nice thing that happened once we started using the loudhailer was that many people stopped and listened to what we had to say about Jamal and his situation in Japan. A human rights lawyer from Japan talked to us and offered support. Others expressed their support as well. We chanted slogans like: Deportation to Iran is execution by Japan! which we had also painted onto the banner. We also chanted: Shame on Japan! One of us went in front of the embassy to distribute leaflets about Jamal and got rid of all of them. Some people already knew about Jamal’s case. All in all a handful of people with a strong loudhailer can make a huge difference! We hope that the Japanese embassy and the Japanese government realise that we are indeed making their treatment of Jamal and other refugees in Japan very public. Last week we went to the embassy for an appointment with embassy staff and this week we chose to stay outside to let the public know too what is happening. I think it was a good decision.
To be continued…

Here is the video with parts of our speeches:

Protest for Jamal in Washington DC, Sunday 28 March

Mission Free Iran is staging another protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in Washington DC (2520 Massachusetts Ave NW) on Sunday March 28st at 3pm to demand a halt to the deportation proceedings against Mr. Jamal Saberi, a vocal and long-time activist against the depredations of the Islamic Republic. Click here for more info