==> Brother executed in Iran; Immigration Canada sending Hamid Shemshad to possible similar fate
==> Concerned Canadians call on Citizenship and Immigration Canada to halt deportation

Tuesday Sep 2, VANCOUVER – Local community groups and Iranian-Canadians are deeply concerned about the fate of Hamid Shemshad, an Iranian political dissident seeking asylum in Canada. Hamid is currently being held in detention and faces deportation to Iran on September 7, 2008. Hamid Shemshad has been an active student activist and political dissident against the Iranian government. In 1999 he was jailed in Iran for his political activities. His brother Jafar Shemshad was also a political activist against the Iranian government and was executed in 1988.

In 2001, Hamid fled from Iran to Canada in hopes of seeking safety and a better life. His application for refugee status was initially denied in 2005. Due to his fear of persecution in Iran, Hamid Sheshad remained
undocumented and worked hard to survive in Canada. On August 30 2008, Hamid was arrested and an order for deportation was issued for Monday September 7, 2008.

Hamid is well known in Vancouver’s Iranian community for years of active work as an outspoken political dissident of the Iranian government. He has participated in many public protests in Vancouver in support of both the student and womenÂ’s movement in Iran. His fiancé is a Canadian citizen. He operates his own painting business and has been incredibly hard-working, including working in the construction industry prior to his painting work.

According to Abbas Mohammadi with the International Iranian Federation of Refugees “We do not understand why Immigration Canada is deporting Hamid to an uncertain fate. They know the risks and dangers he faces in Iran especially given the fact that his brother has been executed and he himself was jailed. The Canadian government is supposed to protect refugees and by any standards Hamid is need of protection. We ask that they reconsider their decision.””