An open letter to King Abdullah II to stop Royal Jordanian airline deporting Iraqi and Kurdish refugees

I am writing on behalf of the Iraqi and Kurdish community to complain about Royal Jordanian airlines allowing their charter flights to be used by the British state to forcibly deport people back to Iraq.

I wish to inform you this policy has affected the lives of many Iraqi and Kurdish asylum seekers who have built their family life in the UK. Many of those currently detained under threat of deportation have lived in the UK for 10-15 years. By allowing Royal Jordanian airline to be used to forcibly
deportIraqi’sareenablingtheUKstatetodestroythefamilylifeofthesepeople. Manyofthosewho have been forcibly deported in the past through Royal Jordanian Airline have become mentally ill, committed suicide or become refugees again. By continuing with this policy you will face the condemnation from many human rights, refugee organizations and freedom loving people across the world.

I also bring to your attention the experience of Araz Ismael who was deported on the 11 April 2017 at 17.05, Heathrow airport. Araz was bound and placed in the aircraft toilet for the duration of the flight from the Heathrow to Amman. Please see link below for a full report complete with pictures. Please note this report has been published in the UK media http://www.middleeasteye.net/Iraqi-asylum-seeker-handcuffed-and-hooded-in-forced-removal-from- UK https://www.thecanary.co/2017/04/13/asylum-seeker-gagged-tied-locked-toilet-sent-back-war-zone/

The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees calls on you to:

•   Fully investigate this incident;

•   To immediately stop accepting bookings from the UK Border Agency and its contractors to

  forcibly deport people to Iraq and to cancel all bookings already made;

•   Stop Royal Jordanian Airlines profiting from the UK’s deportation policy that risks the lives of

  Iraqi and Kurdish refugees.

  Royal Jordanian Airlines by assisting the UK government to forcibly deport people to Iraq is putting profit before human rights and as such is complicit in human rights abuses.

  We look forward to your response,

  Regards

  Dashty Jamal
  Secretary of International Federation of Iraqi Refugees-IFIR