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A
Kurdish asylum-seeker recognized by the United
Nations as a "mandate refugee" was detained at the
Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in Tokyo's Minato
Ward on Monday morning and is in danger of being
deported, according to his supporters.
According to Takeshi Ohashi, a member of a lawyers'
group that supports Kurdish asylum-seekers, the
mandate refugee made his monthly appearance at the
Immigration Bureau to renew his provisional release
but was detained.
"There is no other way to view this detention but as
(an indication) that (the Immigration Bureau) is
getting ready for the asylum-seeker's deportation,"
Ohashi told a news conference later Monday.
Two Kurdish asylum-seekers -- a father and son --
were deported last month after being similarly
detained by immigration authorities.
The Kurd, in his 40s, arrived in Japan in 1997. But
his appeal to seek asylum on grounds that he would
face persecution if he is sent back to Turkey was
rejected. Ohashi said the man was involved in
assisting an antigovernmental group fighting for the
rights of Kurds in Turkey and was recognized as a
mandate refugee in August 2001.
Further details, such as the man's name, cannot be
released because it might endanger him if he is
deported back to Turkey, he said.
This is the third time he has been detained.
"The mental strain on (asylum-seekers) who are on
provisional release is extremely heavy," Ohashi
said. "They are filled with fear and anxiety that
they might be detained every time they appear"
before the Immigration Bureau.
The two Kurdish father-and-son asylum-seekers who
were deported back to Turkey last month were shipped
the day after the immigration authorities detained
them. On Friday, another Kurd was about to be
deported but the procedure was suspended by appeals
filed with the Justice Ministry by lawyers,
supporters and Diet members, Ohashi said.
The lawyers' group said it would ask the Tokyo
District Court on Tuesday to order a halt to any
deportation procedures for the detained Kurd.
The Japan Times (C) All rights reserved .
http://www.japantimes.co.jp
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