Second Suicide Attempt by Nourzad Alimoradi: Deportation Postponed at the Last Moment
Hengaw, Friday, June 28, 2024
Nourzad Alimoradi, a Kurdish asylum seeker from Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah province, has once again attempted suicide at Istanbul Airport as he faced deportation to Iran. Alimoradi's mental and physical health are severely compromised, yet the likelihood of his deportation remains high.
According to a report from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on June 26, 2024, the 33-year-old Kurdish asylum seeker made his second suicide attempt at Istanbul Airport during the deportation process from Turkey to Iran.
An eyewitness, a passenger on Turkish Airlines flight TK 874, reported that Alimoradi was violently escorted onto the plane by four Norwegian police officers. The pilot and passengers protested the forced deportation, with the pilot even exiting the aircraft through the emergency exit in protest. This action led to the postponement of Alimoradi's deportation for a second time.
The eyewitness further described that Alimoradi, strapped to a wheelchair, cried out for help and cut his wrist, causing severe bleeding, just before being forced onto the plane. Despite his critical condition, he was still taken aboard.
In a desperate call for help, Alimoradi claimed he had been injected with a "strong sedative" and felt his consciousness slipping. Passengers reported that Turkish Airlines staff confiscated and deleted videos taken by those who filmed the incident.
After 8 years of waiting for his asylum request to be accepted in the "Lina" camp in Norway, Alimoradi attempted suicide in a similar manner at Istanbul Airport on June 19, 2024. He was returned to Norway but was transferred back to Turkey within a week for deportation to Iran.
As a member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Alimoradi faces severe penalties if deported to Iran.
The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights expresses deep concern over Nourzad Alimoradi's potential deportation and the risk of torture and inhumane treatment by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hengaw calls for immediate intervention from international human rights organizations, particularly those supporting refugees.
Second Suicide Attempt by Nourzad Alimoradi: Deportation Postponed at the Last Moment
— Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (@Hengaw_English) June 28, 2024
Nourzad Alimoradi, a Kurdish asylum seeker from Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah province, has once again attempted suicide at Istanbul Airport as he faced deportation to Iran. Alimoradi's mental and… pic.twitter.com/c81CNBhn2l
