Asylum seeker gats late reprieve

Pegah Emambakhsh, who has been living in Sheffield, was due to leave Britain on a 9.30pm flight last night.

But campaigners here learned just a few hours before her flight was due to leave that her case has been deferred until later this month.

Her supporters from Sheffield ASSIST - the Asylum Seeker Support Initiative - said they were relieved at the news, because for Pegah to be returned to Iran was "tantamount to a death sentence".

Ann Campbell, from ASSIST, said last night: "We are all either on a high or exhausted!

"The plane was taking off at 9.30pm last night and this only started on Monday so it's been a mad four days. Although all we have effectively done is buy some time - we don't know what will happen next - we now have time to get our forces together."

Pegah, who is suffering with mental health problems and suicidal thoughts as a result of the stress, has now been returned to Yarlswood detention centre in Bedford where she was taken after being arrested in Sheffield on Monday.

But Ann said: "We want to get her out of there. Given her fragile state we want to get her back to Sheffield where people care about her."

The 40-year-old Iranian - described by those who know her as "charming, incredibly kind, honest and intelligent" - sought asylum in the UK in 2005. She had escaped from her home country after her partner was arrested, tortured, and subsequently sentenced to death by stoning.

Her father was also arrested, interrogated and tortured for information on her whereabouts.

Margaret Spooner, also from ASSIST, said Pegah had already suffered great unhappiness in her life.

She said: "She endured an unhappy arranged marriage, she is filled with guilt about what has happened to her father, and she is not able to see her two sons.

"I have never met anyone with a bad word to say about her, and all she wants is a chance to live."

A Home Office spokeswoman said they were unable to comment on individual cases, but added: "All our applications for asylum are carefully considered by trained case workers based on accurate information, who take into account all the circumstances of the application.

"We will only return those people that the process has decided do not need international protection and can therefore return safely. If they do not depart voluntarily we can enforce it in due course."