Rights Groups Ask British Govt to Stop Deportation of Iranian Dissident To Rwanda

A person conceals his identity while testifying before an international people's court examining the suppression of the 2019 Iranian protests (YouTube)
A person conceals his identity while testifying before an international people's court examining the suppression of the 2019 Iranian protests (YouTube)
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Rights Groups Ask British Govt to Stop Deportation of Iranian Dissident To Rwanda

A person conceals his identity while testifying before an international people's court examining the suppression of the 2019 Iranian protests (YouTube)
A person conceals his identity while testifying before an international people's court examining the suppression of the 2019 Iranian protests (YouTube)

Human rights activists called Wednesday on the British Home Secretary to halt next week’s planned deportation to Rwanda of an Iranian former police commander, saying they fear for his life following his testimony to the International People’s Tribunal on Iran’s atrocities during the November 2019 protests.

Justice for Iran, an NGO tracking human rights violations, campaigned for signing a petition calling on British authorities to halt the deportation of the former police commander to Rwanda next June 14.

The petition warned that the witness could be kidnapped by Iranian authorities after arriving in the African country.

“This is an unfair and dangerous decision that must be reversed immediately,” it said.

The former Iranian police commander, also known as “Witness 195” or Bahram, had testified against Iranian authorities to the Aban Tribunal that kicked off in mid-November. Bahram arrived in Britain in May 2021.

He said he formerly led a 60-strong police unit during nationwide anti-government protests in November 2019.

Speaking to the Tribunal via videolink, the witness said he had refused to allow those under his command to shoot at peaceful demonstrators in Iran.

He told the panel about his subsequent arrest and 5-year prison sentence for cooperating and sympathizing with the protestors.

When the Iranian Supreme Court upheld the prison sentence on appeal, the witness said he escaped to Turkey leaving behind his family.

He then left Turkey in spring 2021 and made the dangerous crossing to the UK from France in mid-May in a small boat across the English Channel.

During his arrest, Witness 195 said he was subjected to severe psychological torture at a detention center. He currently suffers from heart problems.

The former police commander also said that the orders to suppress the protests came from the National Security Council, including Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Late last year, Amnesty International said 324 men, women and children were killed by Iran’s security forces during their crackdown on mass protests that erupted across Iran between 15 and 19 November 2019.

On Dec. 23, 2019, Reuters quoted three sources close to the supreme leader’s inner circle and a fourth official as saying that Khamenei gathered his top security and government officials together and issued an order to crackdown on protesters.

It said what began as scattered protests over a surprise increase in gasoline prices quickly spread into one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Last April, the UK and Rwanda governments announced an agreement to send asylum seekers to Rwanda on the grounds of their irregular entry to the UK through the English Channel.



S.Africa Urges More Countries to Stand Up to Israel's 'Genocidal Activities'

South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola gestures during a portrait session at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria, on August 5, 2025. (AFP)
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola gestures during a portrait session at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria, on August 5, 2025. (AFP)
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S.Africa Urges More Countries to Stand Up to Israel's 'Genocidal Activities'

South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola gestures during a portrait session at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria, on August 5, 2025. (AFP)
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola gestures during a portrait session at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria, on August 5, 2025. (AFP)

More countries must recognize a Palestinian state and stand up to Israel to stop its "genocidal activities", South Africa's Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told AFP in an interview Tuesday.

Pretoria has been a leading critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, bringing a case before the UN's top court in December 2023 arguing that its war in the Palestinian territory amounted to genocide.

As some of Israel's allies "are now also saying, no, this can't continue, it means that it is bringing us closer and closer to the Israel regime to stop the genocidal activities", Lamola said.

This will also boost efforts to "allow humanitarian access to the people of Gaza" and "to agree to go into a negotiation table to cease the fire", he said.

"We really welcome this development, and we call for more countries to continue to recognize Palestine."

"We welcome the intention to recognize by France, Canada, and all countries of the world. This will put the pressure so that we can end up with ceasefire," Lamola said.

South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice argues that the war in Gaza, which began with the group Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, breached the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention. Israel has strongly denied that accusation.

Several nations have added their weight to the proceedings, including Spain, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Türkiye, Chile and Libya.

The leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Canada have meanwhile said they plan to recognize a Palestinian state in September and urged other nations to do so.

The announcements by some of Washington's closest allies have displeased US President Donald Trump.

Lamola said that had the world acted when South Africa made its case at the ICJ, "we would not be where we are".

"It's clear starvation is emerging, famine, and all these are things we warned about in our ICJ case -- that this will lead to famine, will lead to complete cleansing of the population," he said.

"It's rather late, yes, but it's better than never. So let them act, let them support, let them put the pressure."