Glasgow asylum seekers’ hunger strike ends
Three asylum seekers, who stitched up their mouths to protest against their planned deportation from the UK, have ended their hunger strike.
The three Iranian Kurdish men – Fariborz Gravindi, 30, Mokhtar Haydary, 31, and Faroq Haidari, 32 – have refused food for four weeks.
They are living in Glasgow, having arrived in the UK three years ago, claiming to have been assaulted in prison in their native country. All were associated with the opposition Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) in Iran.
The hunger strike was ended following an appeal by Scotland’s First Minister, Jack McConnell.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, after concurrent demonstrations in Edinburgh and London, Mr McConnell declared, “This hunger strike should end. The most damaging thing that could happen here is that it continues.”
It is believed that the three men have begun to take fluids in response to the positive support they are receiving.
Mark Brown, secretary of the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, told the BBC, “Three men from Iran do not sew up their lips and go without food for four weeks unless they are in serious fear of their lives.
“They have changed their attitude to the campaign.
“It started as one of desperation and despair, in which they expected to die quite quickly.
“Now they can see the support they have received and believe quite rightly they can win.”
