If leaders of Western countries were aware of the death penalty for apostasy in Islam (per Muhammad’s own words), and that it is anything but a relic of the past, this sort of thing would not happen. It would also give them pause to consider that this is the same Sharia law that some of their own citizens and residents want to implement in their countries. “Deportation could spell death,” by Hayden Donnell for the North Shore Times:
Deportation could mean death for Bahareh Moradi – Immigration New Zealand is ordering the 25-year-old Iranian Christian back to Iran within the next two weeks.
It is refusing to wait for a High Court judicial review of her appeal for refugee status, or for the Iranian embassy to issue her a passport.
Three of Miss Moradi’s brothers and their families have already been granted refugee status and are living in Auckland.
One of those brothers, Hamid Moradi, says his sister is being denied her rights and sent into danger.
Converting to Christianity is — under Sharia law — an offence punishable by death.
“I can’t believe this, that this could happen in New Zealand — one of the most democratic countries in the world,” says Mr Moradi, a Birkenhead resident.
“They have to let us talk at the High Court. They just have to let us talk.
“It is our last chance.”
Miss Moradi’s first application for refugee status was declined in 2006.
She appealed that decision to the Refugee Status Appeals Authority, with the support of her family and her pastor.
That was denied in December 2007 in a decision that called her conversion to Christianity into question.
The family then spent $5000 hiring a lawyer to apply for a judicial review in the High Court.
Because Immigration New Zealand will not wait for its result, the family is now spending another $2500 to try for an injunction on Miss Moradi’s deportation orders.
Mr Moradi is upset the organisation is deporting his sister when it lists a judicial review as a right on its website.
“If they believe we had no right to go to the High Court then why did they let us pay $5000?
“I want a guarantee the review can go ahead even if she is in another country.”
His sister has refused to sign removal papers, but has signed an application for an Iranian passport.
“I do not understand why they would not wait even for her to get a passport,” says Mr Moradi.
“This way she can’t go to any countries except for Iran.”
Rinny Westra is Miss Moradi and Mr Moradi’s pastor at St Aiden’s Presbyterian Church in Birkenhead.
He testified to the genuineness of her conversion at her first appeal and is protesting her deportation orders.
“She’s a Christian and her life is in danger if she goes back.
“There seems to be something very negative towards Iranian Christians.”
Indeed. Even when they’re not apostates from Islam.