Asylum seeker's 15-year UK stay faces Home Office rejection

Mostafa Rahmani, an Iranian national who arrived in the UK in 2011, has spent 15 years in the asylum system after his initial student visa expired. Mr. Rahmani, now 41, claims he sought asylum shortly after his arrival due to fears of arrest in Iran, stating he had participated in anti-government protests that year. He has been involved with 8mars, an Iranian women's rights campaign group in the UK, since 2012.

The Home Office has refused Mr. Rahmani's asylum claim multiple times. He states that he faces the risk of arrest, detention, and potentially death if returned to Iran due to his political activities. However, the Home Office has indicated that they do not believe Mr. Rahmani holds a significant enough political profile in either the UK or Iran to warrant such a risk.

Life in Limbo

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During his prolonged time in the asylum system, Mr. Rahmani has been unable to work and has relied on friends for support. He has experienced periods of homelessness, sleeping in public spaces and receiving assistance from churches. While he has recently been provided with Home Office accommodation, he has described it as sometimes less preferable than sleeping on public transport due to shared facilities and noise.

Mr. Rahmani expressed his distress over his stalled life, telling The Independent, "My programme and dreams for my life, for years and years, are all gone." He longs for the opportunity to see his elderly mother in Turkey, a wish hindered by his immigration status. His friend, Leila Parnian, a member of 8mars, told The Independent that Mr. Rahmani has been denied the chance to live a normal life, stating, "He doesn’t have a future, a life, kids or work. He’s stuck here."

“It is frankly bizarre for the secretary of state to consistently deny Mr Rahmani permission to stay when she cannot remove him to Iran because she accepts Iran has an awful human rights record.”

Rashad Nawaz, Director at Birchtree Law Chambers

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Rashad Nawaz, director at Birchtree Law Chambers, which is representing Mr. Rahmani, stated that his client has consistently informed the Home Office about his campaigning work. Mr. Nawaz added that Mr. Rahmani's mental health has deteriorated due to his situation and questioned the Home Office's decision to deny him permission to stay when deportation to Iran is problematic due to the country's human rights record.

The Home Office has stated that it does not comment on individual asylum cases. Mr. Rahmani is currently awaiting the outcome of his latest legal challenge.