Farrokh Shiri is an Iranian dissident who was involved in assisting people in danger from torture, rape and death at the hands of the Iranian regime, to flee from Iran. His group enabled approximately 80 people from political ,   religious and womens groups to escape over a period of 14 years. He eventually had to leave Iran as he was targeted by the regime and his own life was in danger. He arrived in Britain in June 2000 and was refused political asylum.

On 7 March 2001, Shiri discovered his appeal for political asylum in Britai= n had been turned down. In a very distressed state he threatened to take his own life instead of facing torture and death on return to Iran. There was a four-hour siege by armed police in Penzance in Cornwall, before Shiri calmed down and surrendered without struggle. He was then arrested and an imitation firearm was recovered.

Farrokh was charged with firearms offences and 'fast-tracked' to the Crown Court, spending nearly three months on remand at HMP Exeter.

At Truro Crown Court on 13 December 2001, Farrokh Shiri was found guilty by an 'all-white' jury majority of ten to two, of 'possession of a firearm wit= h Intent to cause a person to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him or another'. The whole trial took just two days even though the trial was listed to last five to six days, to allow for a Farsi interpreter.

 During the trial, the interpreter complained several times that the proceedings were being conducted too quickly for effective interpretation. On completion of the prosecution case, the trial judge commented to Shiri's Barrister that 'the evidence in this case appears to be wafer thin'.

Shiri has been granted bail and will re-appear for sentencing at Truro Crown Court on 21 January 2002. That date is also the birthday of Martin Luther King, and has been chosen by civil rights and anti-war campaigners as a national day of opposition to the government's attack on civil liberties an= d pandering to racism. A demonstration targeting Home Secretary David Blunkett is already being organised - details will be advertised shortly by the National Civil Rights Movement and the Stop the War Coalition.

The National Civil Rights Movement (South West branch) is therefore proposing to organise a local demonstration at:

Truro Crown Court in 'Britain's Deep South', on January 21 2002,

the same date that Farrokh Shiri appears for sentencing. Obviously, it is important that national actions are fully supported. But on 21 January, it will be equally important to show mass support for Farrokh Shiri, who faces a prison sentence and possible deportation 'through the back door'. A large demonstration in London is one thing - but an Iranian asylum seeker facing Crown Court sentencing a few hundred miles away, in the heart of the 'Deep South' is another (apologies for the guilt trip - but Shiri needs maximum support).

If we are to build a strong demonstration in Truro on 21 January, we need to start as soon as possible. Your earliest response (by return email) would be appreciated, so we can get things moving quickly.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Jon McKenzie,
NCRM South West
Phone: 07940 514270
Email: ncrmsouthwest@aol.com

More details on Shiri's case are available on the National Coalition of Anti Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) website at: http://www.ncadc.org.uk/ (see under 'Help Wanted' & Newsletter Number 23)

Farrokh has been supported in his campaign for justice by the following organisations:
Exeter Socialist Alliance,
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign,
South West National Civil Rights Movement,
National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns,
International Federation of Iranian Refugees, Bristol Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers,
Brent Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers, Kurdistan Solidarity Committee,
The Bail Circle,
John McFarlane, Chair of Warwickshire College NATFHE (in an individual capacity),
Socialist Outlook,
Judith Carter, Islington Law Centre,
Socialist Workers Party,
Plymouth Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers,
Plymouth Socialist Alliance,
Barbed Wire Britain Network to End Refugee and Migrant Detention,
Close Down Harmondsworth Campaign, Human Too, Close Campsfield Campaign,
Coordinamento cittadino per via dei Gordiani,
Churches' Commission for Racial Justice (CCRJ),
TGWU St Austell Branch, Brighton & Hove TUC Unemployed Centre,
Brighton & Hove UNISON Local Government Branch,
Brighton & Hove District Trades Union Council.