To the Government of Sweden Migration Department,

Subject: Formal Appeal to Immediately Halt the Deportation of Zahra Kazemipour and Her Family

Date:23/12/2025

We, the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR), hereby submit this formal and urgent appeal regarding the imminent deportation of Ms. Zahra Kazemipour, her husband Mr. Afshad Joubeh, and their two children. We respectfully request that the Government of Sweden immediately suspend and reconsider the deportation order issued against this family.

Ms. Kazemipour and her family sought asylum in Sweden nine years ago after fleeing persecution in Iran. Although their asylum application was rejected four years ago, they were subsequently granted the right to remain and work under the former legal provision that allowed a transition from asylum grounds to employment‑based residence. During this period, they have been continuously employed at Södertälje Hospital, contributing significantly to Swedish public services and to the wider community.

Recent legislative changes have annulled the legal basis under which this family and many others in comparable circumstances were previously granted residence and work permits. As a direct consequence, they now face the immediate threat of deportation.

We wish to underscore that Mr. Joubeh was previously arrested and imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran. His forced return would expose him to a substantial, well documented, and immediate risk of persecution, arbitrary detention, or severe ill treatment. Furthermore, the couple’s two children, who have spent the entirety of their formative years in Sweden, would suffer profound psychological and emotional harm if uprooted and returned to a country they do not know.

Proceeding with this deportation would constitute:

• A clear violation of fundamental human rights principles, exposing this family to persecution and serious harm in a country where their safety cannot be guaranteed

• A breach of Sweden’s obligations under international refugee and human rights law

• A serious humanitarian failure that would knowingly place this family in grave and foreseeable danger, contradicting Sweden’s long‑standing commitment to protecting individuals at risk of persecution

The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to engage in systematic and severe violations of human rights, including political repression, arbitrary detention, and torture. Returning this family to such conditions would place them in direct, immediate, and predictable danger.

We therefore call upon the Government of Sweden to immediately halt the deportation, reassess the case on humanitarian and protection grounds, and uphold Sweden’s international commitments.

We also urge international human rights organisations, media outlets, and civil society actors to raise awareness of this case and support efforts to prevent the forced return of this family to Iran.

 Yours faithfully,

Dashty Jamal

General Secretary of International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR