Re: Deportation in Schiphol this Tuesday
PRESS RELEASE IN ENGLISH:
The deportation to Burundi stopped by activists
Yesterday, Tuesday 26th of June, asylum right activists from Sweden and the Netherlands stopped the planned forced deportation of 28-year-old Jean-Pierre Nzeyimana to the home country Burundi. It was the airline KLM, which acted at the last minute and decided that Jean-Pierre would not be a passenger on board.
- Nzeyimana would have been sent to a certain death. The Burundian government is after him, and he would probably be transported from the airport directly to prison and to death, says Lisa Atterskog who have been involved in the case days before the planned deportation.
Jean-Pierre Nzeyimana came to Sweden in 2007 and applied for asylum because of persecution, threats and repression from his own government in Burundi because of his dissident views. His asylum application was denied due to so-called "insufficient evidence".
- Although he has managed to bring the required evidence, the Immigration Service has refused to take up his case again, says Lisa Atterskog. But with the deportation stopped, there may be new hope for Jean-Pierre.
The ruling party CNDD-FDD is made up of former rebels who took part in Burundi's 12-year civil war. The country counts officially as a democratic republic, but is criticized by Human Rights Watch, which has given reports on torture, journalists jailed and oppostional voices silenced.
Mass deportations from Sweden to Burundi took place in 2009 and was met by demonstrations around the country and condemnation of, among others, several well-known Swedish politicians.
Nzeyimanas cases was brought to attention by a flash appeal on Facebook, and the mobilization became international. For several days angry and disappointed people called and emailed the airline KLM, and the result was that the airline refused to carry out the deportation.
Nzeyimana is still in the refugee detention centre in Märsta and an uncertain future awaits.
The campaign to stop the deportation of Jean-Pierre
Press Contact: Lisa Atterskog 0046 765-957843 and 0046 704-186377 Anahita Apifera
Jean-Pierre Nzeyimana: 0046 761-552720
Mail: free.jeanpierre @ gmail.com