FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Issued: Saturday 2 July 2011

On Friday 1st July Mr. Raed Salah was transferred from an Immigration Detention Centre to a formal prison. No good reason for this transfer has been given.

The transfer to prison will significantly interfere with the preparation of Mr Salah's appeal against the Deportation Order. The deadline for Mr Salah to Appeal is the 6th July 2011. The prison have informed Mr. Salah's lawyer that his legal team will not be able to visit him until the 11th July, 5 days after the deadline is due to pass.

Mr Salah's solicitor, Tayab Ali of ITN Solicitors, said  'Mr Salah remains resolute and determined to challenge the Deportation Order. Despite the difficulties his transfer to prison poses for us, a formal Notice of Appeal against the Deportation Order was lodged on Friday.  We are confident that the Order will be overturned.

The Home Secretary has grossly misjudged my client. In stark contrast to the false picture that has been painted, he is a man of peace, a widely respected leader who campaigns tirelessly for his people. By attempting to silence him in the United Kingdom, the Government is turning its back on the Palestinian people.

The merits of the Home Secretary's Order are now a matter for the Courts'.

[ENDS]

For more information please contact Shazia Arshad on +44 (0)20 8838 0231 or +44 (0)7527 746 478

The Middle East Monitor is an independent media research institute founded in the United Kingdom in 2009 to foster a fair and accurate coverage of Middle Eastern issues and in particular the Palestine Question in the Western Media.

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