Gay woman faces 'death by stoning'

Supporters say Pegag Emambakhsh’s only crime is her sexual orientation because she was in a gay relationship.

She arrived in the UK in 2005 but her claim and appeals for asylum failed and she was arrested on Monday, taken to Yarlswood detention centre and was due to be deported today.

Pegag fled Iran after her lover was arrested, tortured and sentenced to death by stoning. Her father was also arrested, interrogated and tortured by officers trying to find Pegag.

According to Iranian Human Rights Campaigners more than 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed since the Ayatollahs came to power in 1979. Pegag’s supporters say she faces certain imprisonment and could be killed.

A spokesman for Sheffield’s Asylum Seeker Support Initiative said: “The Border and Immigration Agency chose not to believe that she is in such danger if she is returned to Iran even though the Govern-ment is well aware of the terrible situation gay people face.

“The BIA will be committing a serious miscarriage of justice and human rights violation if they insist on deportaion.”