To: Amber Rudd (Secretary of State for Home Department)

Give Lawand a chance to communicate

05/04/18 - Great News! Lawand can stay to apply for asylum.

I wanted to share the wonderful news with you that Lawand and his parents and brothers have a victory to share. Our government was trying to send them back to Germany to claim asylum but the courts have granted Lawand leave to stay in the UK to claim asylum here.

Thank you so much for signing the petition, sharing with your friends and caring about this child. Thanks too, to his amazing legal team.

A beautiful poet, Mary Oliver, writes 'what are you going to do with your one wild and precious life?' Well, over 12,000 of us worked together to apply a little pressure and give a lot of encouragement and now the life of one persecuted family is changing and hoping for a secure future. Deep thanks to everyone. Their asylum process will begin in about 6 months. Meanwhile Lawand continues his education in British Sign Language and is flourishing.

Esther Freeman.

This petition asks you to look at Lawand's case. He is a profoundly deaf 6 year old child who came to this country with no language. He has made remarkable progress and requests leave to stay in the UK so he can continue to learn to communicate.

Why is this important?

Lawand was born in Iraq. He was born profoundly deaf. The family fled Iraq and travelled under harsh conditions to Europe. He arrived at the deaf school with no language at all - unable to access his families language through his implant. Unable to tell them he loved them or to understand the world around him. Since he arrived at the Deaf school he has made incredible progress, learning British sign language at an amazing speed and so starting his education. Lawand is able, for the first time, to develop relationships with his family and make friends.

Now the home office have decided that he should be removed with his family to Germany under a European Agreement called the Dublin Regulation. This is because asylum seekers should claim asylum in the first safe country they arrive in. However, this case is exceptional. If Lawand is deported he will suffer a set back which will profoundly affect his life. He will be, once again, in a very chaotic situation with no further access to British sign language so his communication would shut down. He would also suffer psychological damage as his ability to communicate with his family would also drastically reduce as their opportunity to learn a shared language would be denied. His implant is no longer working so without access to sign language he is completely isolated from the world around him.

Please support our petition by signing it and bring Lawand's case to the attention of people who can change his immigration decision.

How it will be delivered

This petition was emailed to Amber Rudd and Margaret Beckett on the 9th January. However the case continues and the petition continues to build. We will look to also deliver the petition in person, possibly inviting the press who have shown a lot of interest. Keep signing and sharing - let's make an impact!

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2018-04-05 10:36:26 +0100

Petition is successful with 12,203 signatures

2017-01-27 12:23:41 +0000

Beautiful video by the BBC about Lawand. Thank you for your support.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/38767822

2017-01-16 12:19:23 +0000

A Birmingham solicitor filed an urgent application on Friday 13th January forcing the Home Office to suspend the removal of six year old Lawand Hamadamin and his family to Germany. The Home Office made the decision under the Dublin Regulation, part of the Common European Asylum System from which the UK will effectively withdraw under Brexit.

The family will be allowed to stay in the UK until the application is considered by a judge which is expected to be within the next few weeks. Their stay will also be extended if the judge gives permission for a full hearing of the application which argues that the UK is responsible for the asylum claim.

2017-01-16 12:08:56 +0000

Another interview with BBC radio Derby this morning. You can listen here by fast forwarding to 44mins in..
http://bbc.in/2jNvxUd

2017-01-10 09:53:52 +0000

This is an important update on Lawand's case. The Home Office have informed Lawand and his family that they are refusing his request to claim asylum from Britain and will deport him back to Germany.

This is frustrating, however it is not the end of hope for Lawand. His legal team are fighting hard to have his case heard in the courts. If successful it means he will be given leave to stay until there is a full hearing. If unsuccessful he will have to leave the country on Monday the 16th January.

I have sent the 10,000 strong petition to Amber Rudd and Lawand's MP, Margret Beckett. However, they are aware we are still campaigning. Yesterday I was interviewed by BBC radio Derby and also contacted by a national newspaper journalist. You can hear my radio interview here at 1:22hrs: http://bbc.in/2iUMMnm

Please join with me in making this week count. Let's give a voice to compassion - share, tweet, Facebook, email so we can make an even bigger impact by Friday. Thank you.

2017-01-08 21:29:18 +0000

10,000 signatures reached

2017-01-06 19:22:01 +0000

5,000 signatures reached

2017-01-03 17:53:56 +0000

1,000 signatures reached

2017-01-02 15:10:35 +0000

We are in the paper!
http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/deaf-iraq-refugee-lawand-facing-deporatation-gets-support-from-petition-set-up-by-royal-derby-nurse/story-30021996-detail/story.html
Many thanks to all who are supporting Lawand at such a crucial time in his life.

2016-12-31 15:24:06 +0000

The petition is really gaining momentum and we also want to try and use twitter to spread the word. If you tweet please forward the petition and add #lawandmuststay. Sincere thanks to everyone for getting us this far!

2016-12-30 11:53:04 +0000

500 signatures reached

2016-12-24 22:08:30 +0000

100 signatures reached

2016-12-24 14:01:05 +0000

50 signatures reached

2016-12-24 10:16:58 +0000

25 signatures reached

2016-12-24 09:12:51 +0000

10 signatures reached

To: Amber Rudd (Secretary of State for Home Department)

Give Lawand a chance to communicate

Why is this important?

How it will be delivered

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