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Subject: Farid Hilali Facing deportation to Morocco
SOURCE : Helptheprisoners.org    
9th April 2009

Background

Farid Hilali is an individual originally from Morocco who was extradited to Spain, under the European Arrest Warrant in 2008. He is currently on Bail and has been given no details of any trial nor any charges that are against him.  He has been left in a foreign country with no bank account or identification. Despite this, he still must report to a court seven days a week at which he must debate with them why he does not have said identification on every occasion.  Most disturbingly, he was served with a deportation order to Morocco by the Spanish authorities which would be enforceable even if he is acquitted.

This is despite the fact that the Spanish government gave assurances that he would not be deported to Morocco in the event of an acquittal or completion of any sentence. The home secretary in the United Kingdom also made it clear that should Farid complete his sentence or be acquitted he may resume his asylum claim in the United Kingdom as per the Dublin conventions.

If he is to return to Morocco, he would face torture of an unimaginable kind.  It is reported by human rights organisations that detainees often suffer electric shocks, beatings, water torture and many other horrors.  Farid Hilali after refusing to be an informant for the Moroccan Security Services would surely suffer a similar fate and perhaps even death.

Even if we assume that Spain will not honour the obligations that were made at the time of Farid Hilali's extradition, the Spanish Government still has an obligation towards the European Courts, who state in the European Convention on Human Rights (to which Spain is a signatory) under article 3, "individuals may not be sent to a country where there is a real risk of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the recipient state."

We therefore urge Spain to repeal the deportation order made on Farid Hilali and free him so that he can start to rebuild his life.

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Actions Required

Contact the Spanish Government, requesting them to remove the deportation order

Contact the Spanish Embassy in your country requesting the same

Contact your MP and MEP, making them aware of Spains failure to honour its obligations

Key Contacts

Ministry of the Interior
Paseo de la Castellana, 5
28046 - Madrid
(Madrid)
SPAIN

Tel.: 915371111
Fax: 915371003
email prensa@mir.es

Ministry of Justice
San Bernando, 45
28015 Madrid
SPAIN

Tel : +34 91 390 45 00
email : prensa@mjusticia.es

Spanish Embassy
39 Chesham Pl
London, SW1X 8SB

Tel : 020 72355555
Email : emb.londres@maec.es

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Sample letter in Spanish: (translation of letter below)

Estimado (name of addressee)

Les escribo con respecto a Farid Hilali, quien fué extraditado a España en el 2008, y esta detenido bajo fianza en España sin algun cargo formal en su contra o fecha para juicio. En lo que concierne al aislamiento en el que Farid está privado de su libertad durante 6 años sin haber tenido la oportunidad de defenderse de lo que se le acusa y su vida corre peligro con la orden de deportación.

Las autoridades Españolas aseguraron a las autoridades Británicas que no deportarían a Farid Hilali a un tercer país y ahora parece ser que se les ha olvidado dicho acuerdo con las autoridades Británicas y cambiando tambien lo acordado con respecto a cambiar las acusaciones por las que Farid fué detenido en base a su extraditación.

Farid ahora está sufriendo los efectos de una larga detención sin cargos en su contra y su deportación a punto de ser realizada, la cual lo ha dejado mentalmente agotado y con estres extremo día tras día. El ha sido dejado en un país extraño sin cuenta bancaria y sin identificaciones, sin contar con que 7 días a la semana tiene que reportarse ante la corte y en las cuales le piden identificación cada vez la cual no tiene.

La corte Española tiene todavía la obligación con las cortes Europeas que se basan en La convención Europea de Derechos Humanos en la cual España pertenece en el inciso tercero de dicha convención. Individuos no pueden ser mandados a un país donde haya riesgo de tortura, degradación o tratos inhumanos en su país natal.

Les pido consideren una apelación a esta orden de deportación y el fin inmediato de la detención de Farid.

Atentamente

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Sample Letter in English
Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you concerning Farid Hilali, who was extradited to Spain in 2008 and is currently being held on bail in Spain with no formal charges or court date having been brought. Though concerning in isolation that Farid has now had his freedom restricted for over 6 years without ever having the opportunity to challenge the allegations made against him, this is made literally life-threatening now that Spain has served him with a deportation order.

The Spanish Government gave assurances to British courts that they would not deport Farid Hilali to a third country, however they appear to have reneged on this “assurance”, just as they reneged on the assurance that they would charge Farid Hilali with the offence for which he was extradited.

Farid is now suffering from the long-term effects of this detention without charge and the deportation order hanging over him, which has left him mentally exhausted and dealing with extreme stress every day. He has been left in a foreign country with no bank account or idenfication, despite which he still must report to a court seven days a week at which he must debate with them why he does not have identification on every occasion.

The Spanish Government still has an obligation towards the European Courts, who state in the European Convention on Human Rights to which Spain is a signatory that under article 3, individuals may not be sent to a country where there is a real risk of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the recipient state.

I would therefore urge you to seek the repeal of this deportation order and end Farid's detention immediately.  I thank you for your kind attention.

Yours faithfully

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I couldn't find the actual names of the Spanish Government Ministers so I just put Estimado Senor/Senora.  Hope that was ok!

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