Scoop And Peter Brown Talk Iranian Deportees

Friday, 17 August 2007, 4:25 pm
Article: Kevin List

Scoop And Peter Brown Talk Iranian Deportees

This afternoon NZ First Immigration spokesperson Peter Brown attempted via a press release to set the record straight on Iranian deportees.

“A number of high profile cases involving Iranians facing deportation have received very sympathetic coverage from a variety of organisations and groups which has lacked a critical view of the various cases. It is time some balance was put into the debate,” said Mr Brown in his press release.

Scoop Media caught up with Mr Brown via the telephone to gain some balance in the vexed issue of what to do about those Iranian Christians held in NZ jails who refuse to sign the official paperwork that would send them back to Iran, a theocratic Muslim state.

Mr Brown's release stated:

"Thomas Yadegary, a previous cause célèbre, failed three times in his bid for refugee status and exhausted every avenue of appeal available, also conveniently ‘found’ Christianity and converted as he was about to be deported. A number of years later, Yadegary remains here and his case continues.

Scoop tracked down the late 2004 Refugee Status Appeals Authority decision which dealt with Mr Yadgery's case.

In the decision the RSAA pointed out that:

[Mr Yadegary] went to a number of different churches of various Christian denominations, ultimately settling on the Catholic faith. He was baptised in August 1997.

The decision also stated

- It is accepted that [Mr Yadegary] is a committed Christian who will "spread the light" privately, amongst family and friends, when asked or when the opportunity arises.

When told Mr Yadegary had been a Catholic for a number of years before the decision was made to deport him Mr Brown assured Scoop he "would check his information."

Scoop also brought up another recent high profile case of an Iranian this time a homosexual who was successful in their bid for refugee status.

Mr Brown did not agree with this decision either.

"Put it this way I do not think that it is a legitimate cause that they should stay in New Zealand. I mean I think there might be other options. I don't think we have to say you've now become a Christian or you've now become a homosexual OK you're entitled to stay – I mean what are we coming to," said Mr Brown.

Scoop: You are not a Christian yourself though?

Peter Brown: I like to think that I am a person that operates on Christian beliefs.

Scoop: But you would disagree with the Anglican and Catholic Bishops on this issue though?

Peter Brown: My view is that we have laws in this land that are framed around Christianity, attitudes morals and what have you. These guys are given a fair go and suddenly they just become a Christian because they have failed in other aspects. Using Christianity as their last chance seems to me in many ways an abuse of the system as I've put in the media release.

Scoop: Do you think these chaps spending years in [a NZ ] jail are just toying with us?

Peter Brown: I wouldn't say they are toying with us but they are determined to get in here under their own criteria. I believe the systems in this country go beyond the state of fairness. And once a decision is made I don't think there is anybody that says you are going because I don't like you. They take a very fair attitude a very reasonable attitude – far too reasonable in some cases that I've heard of. Once the system is exhausted there is an obligation on these guys to go.

Note: Peter Brown contacted Scoop Media an hour after Scoop raised the possibility that his press release titled 'Setting The Record Straight On Iranian Deportees' may not have actually set the record straight.

Mr Brown remained convinced he had the facts correct but said he would double check after Scoop Media pointed him to the online archive of the NZ Refugee Appeals Authority. Mr Brown issued a second amended press release two hours after the first release still entitled 'Setting the Record Straight On Iranian Deportees' which ommitted any mention of individuals such as Mr Yadegary.

ENDS

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