savethesheikh.com

ABC Lateline, 7 April 2010. Sheikh Mansour Leghaei’s opponents finally come out into the open and face the cameras. A group calling themsleves the Iranian Action Coalition claimed to have new evidence linking Sheikh Mansour to human rights abuses in Iran. When pushed though they were unwiling (or unable) to produce anything.

Other major articles published recently include:

• Sally Neighbour’s less than helpful article about the Repression of Iranian students in Australia.
• Afshin Nikouseresht – the person interviewed for the above article – writes about inaccuries in Sally Neighbour’s report.
• Mike Carlton uses Sheikh Mansour as an example of the Bumbling Activities of ASIO.
• Joel Gibson also writes in the Sydney Morning Herald about the Dark Side of ASIO.
• A great article appears in The National coming from an Interview with Sheikh and Father Dave by the BBC.

After a negative security assessment that dates back 13 years, Sheikh Mansour Leghaei has finally been told to leave the country.

Father Dave asks Mansour about his history, from his arrival in Australia to his current struggle to keep his family united.

Greens Senate candidate for NSW Lee Rhiannon MP, and Greens candidate
for Grayndler, Sam Byrne, have added their voices to the large number
of community members in the inner west of Sydney who have opposed the
deportation of Earlwood based cleric Sheikh Mansour Leghaei.

“It is deeply concerning that without charge Sheikh Leghaei can
removed from the community he has called home for 16 years, said Ms
Rhiannon.

“There appear to be some vague and ill-defined concerns that ASIO has
regarding the Sheikh’s relationship to the Government of Iran, the
country he and his wife grew up in. But if that should be a crime then
surely a democratic country should test any concerns publicly in a
court of law.

“The proposal to deport Sheikh Leghaei is a fundamentally undemocratic
and dangerous act, and I call on the Minister for Immigration, Senator
Chris Evans, to use his power to halt the proposed deportation.

“It is clear from the broad support that the Sheikh has in the
community that not only does he not present a threat, but to the
contrary, he is assisting in building a more cohesive and strong
community in our area,” said Mr Byrne.

“The Sheikh is a gentle, peaceful man who has done great work with
people less well off and, working with people like Father Dave Smith
from the Holy Trinity Church in Dulwich Hill, has done much to bring
together people of different faiths and cultures. He is no threat.

“While the current Federal Labor Government has taken some important
steps towards healing the rifts caused to our community by the Howard
Liberal Government’s demonising of refugees and tacit support for the
racially motivated fear campaigns of One Nation, it
has to do a lot more to end fear in our community of people from
different cultures.

“The Marrickville, Canterbury, Ashfield and Leichhardt areas are by
and large great examples of where people from around the world have
made new communities; communities that are treasured by their
residents. Sheikh Leghaei clearly plays an important and peaceful role
in building our community, and that role should not be ended by the
paranoia of security agencies with a history of getting it wrong, and
by legislation which fails to demand that allegations by security
agencies be openly and publicly examined,” said Mr Byrne.

Contact: Lee Rhiannon on 0427 861 568 or Sam Byrne on 0408 231 509