Fight to keep asylum seeker in UK

Aram Rawf has been helping refugees in Thanet

Supporters of a Kurdish asylum seeker who has been detained by immigration authorities in Dover fear he may be killed if he is sent back to Iraq.

Aram Rawf, 24, who has lived in Thanet since arriving in the UK at the age of 17, claims he was tortured because he refused to become a suicide bomber.

Filmmaker Norman Thomas, who is campaigning for Mr Rawf, said it would be irresponsible to send him back.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases.

Last year Mr Rawf lost an appeal against his deportation.

'Much loved'

Mr Thomas is also making a film to highlight Mr Rawf's plight and added: "Everyone knows Iraq is incredibly dangerous with hundreds of civilians being killed every week.

"Even worse, the fundamentalist group who originally tortured Aram is still active in Iraq and will undoubtedly seek him out when he returns."

He said that Mr Rawf was a "much loved" figure among his friends and colleagues in east Kent where he worked on a migrant helpline.

In a statement the Home Office said: "Those whose claims are refused have the right to an independent appeal.

"If the appeal is unsuccessful, that means that it has been judged safe for that particular individual to return to Iraq.

"We would expect Iraqis in that position to leave voluntarily. If they do not it is entirely reasonably for us to enforced their departure."

She added that it was important for the integrity of the asylum system that any individual who was found not to be in need of international protection should be expected to leave the UK.