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Sana Husnain - Back on Teeside Where She Belongs Sana was released last Thursday (30/09/12) night or rather dumped at Bedford Station 7 months pregnant with a travel warrant and 2 heavy bags! We managed to work out a route for her and she arrived on Teesside just short of 11pm. She was exhausted and relieved having never travelled anywhere alone before. She has been staying in a safe place with a local family while North of England Ref service sort out the NASS accommodation. Sanctuary for Sana Husnain and her Unborn Baby Sana Husnain, a young Pakistani woman, 27 weeks pregnant, currently in detention at Yarl's Wood IRC. Faces a serious risk of honour-based violence from her family should she be forcibly returned to Pakistan on Tuesday 28th August by Charter Flight @ 23:25 hrs. Sana went to sign at the Police Station in Middlesbrough on Wednesday 15th August and was detained by UKBA and taken to Yarl's Wood IRC. Sana Husnain married in Pakistan but the marriage was kept secret, as for cultural reasons the union would be considered inappropriate. Sana's Husband came to UK on a student visa in Jan 2010, receiving financial support from his father in Pakistan. Sana followed in October 2010 and became dependent on husband's visa. Sana became pregnant in the UK Sana's father who currently lives in Dubai found out about her marriage and her pregnancy. He then arranged for a group of men to visit her Husband's father in Pakistan explaining that the son's actions had brought shame upon the family. Sana's Father demanded that steps to be taken to force them to separate and for Sana to be returned to Pakistan, where she will be forced to have an abortion and face punishment. Sana has received threatening emails from family members and has discovered that her mother who knew about her marriage has been punished at the hands of her male relatives. Sana's husband's father also found out about the marriage and pregnancy and withdrew all financial support and demanded that his son do as he was asked and divorce Sana or all ties would be severed. Sana has received emails from her Father demanding the same action. Her father has informed Sana that she will be punished on her return but suggests that the punishment will be less if she complies with having an abortion. Sana claimed asylum on the basis that she would be subject to honour-based violence if she returns to Pakistan and her husband became a dependent on her asylum claim. Her claim was refused and the couple's basic support from the UKBA has been stopped. Sana's husband has blamed her for his situation that he has lost both his Father's support and now his support from the UKBA. Last week he turned on Sana with a violent outburst. She sustained verbal abuse for several hours. He smashed glasses against a wall close to Sana and slapped and shook her. Sana eventually locked herself in the bedroom to protect herself and her unborn child. He then took his possessions and left. Sana understands that his father has offered to remarry him. Sana's family solicitor was in the process of preparing a Molestation Order and injunction at the time of Sana's arrest because of the Husbands attack on her. There is a crime reference number with Cleveland Police. Her initial asylum claim was refused however her current solicitor is submitting a fresh claim based on an Expert report on the situation facing Women and honour crime in Pakistan. Sana is fearful of further violence at the hands of male relatives and community members. She has a well founded fear of suffering physical violence to both herself and her unborn baby should she be forcibly returned to Pakistan. She is fearful of what might face her as a lone pregnant women without the support of family and community in Pakistan or that she will be forced to have an abortion. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's annual report 2011 highlighted the worrying scale of violence suffered by many women in conservative Muslim Pakistan. This report was highlighted in Kerry Mcqueeney's article in the Daily Mail on 22nd march 2012. The reports sates that at least 943 women were killed in honour killings by their fathers, husbands or brothers for damaging their family names. 219 of these women were just like Sana in that they were Women who had married without the permission of Fathers or other male relatives. The report says that the true number of killings is thought to be higher . See full report here . . . .
Concerned citizens in the North of England, knowing full well the danger Sana faces if removed, have formed a support group to lobby Ministers to have the removal stayed. Please let the support group know of any actions taken: info@opendoornortheast.com What You Can Do to Help 1) Email/Fax Theresa May, Home Secretary Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP Fax: 020 7035 4745 Emails: 2) Email/Fax Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister: Ask him to intervene with the Home Secretary Theresa May to stop the forced removal of Sana Husnain. Download model letter <SanaHusnainNC.doc>. You can copy, amend or write your own version - if you do please remember to include the following: Sana Husnain (HO Ref: H1238349) a due to be forcibly returned to Pakistan on Tuesday 28th August by Charter Flight @ 23:25 hrs. Nick Clegg - Deputy Prime Minister's Office ******************************************************* |
Last updated
6 September, 2012
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