Refugees continue hunger strike in Croydon town centre (From Croydon Guardian)

Refugees continue hunger strike in Croydon town centre

8:49am Friday 15th April 2011 in Local news By Mike Didymus

A former Iranian wrestling champion who fears death if he returns to his country began his eleventh day of a hunger strike in Croydon town centre this morning.

Keyvan Bahariz, who bears scars on his back from a savage beating at the hands of the Iranian authorities, has sewn his mouth closed to raise awareness of the lack of free speech and human rights in his homeland.

Mr Bahariz and five of his countrymen launched the hunger strike after being refused asylum by the UK Border Agency.

Fellow students Mehran Meyari, 19, and his 17-year-old brother Mahyar are also living on just water in the tent on Wellesley Road, within metres of the UKBA headquarters at Lunar House.

The older brother said: “They will kill us if we go back.

“We have been refused (asylum), we first came in 2008 so it’s taken over two years and they have said no.

“We want to bring attention to Iranian refugees.”

The trio had to be treated by paramedics on Wednesday due to their weakened states, but they refused to all go to hospital over fears police would try to move their tent from the pavement.

One attendant from the Whitgift car park, which overlooks the strikers’ tent, said he believed the protest would eventually cause a serious traffic accident.

He said: “If a car comes around that corner and hits them, what then?

“They are right by a traffic light, and people have been slowing down and not paying attention to the road.”

The protesters’ three fellow refugees Kiarash Bahari, Morteza Bayat and Ahmad Sadeghi Pour are performing a similar protest in Islington.