Friday, August 17, 2007 (Mumbai) A man of Iranian origin, born and living in India, has been denied an Indian passport and ordered to be deported.
The 30-year-old changed his name to Krishna hoping to stay in the country of his birth, India. That name may however lead to torture in the country of his origin- Iran.
Born and brought up in Mumbai to Iranian parents, Hassan Ali Raihani applied for Indian citizenship in 2003 after the death of his father.
On December 15, 2003, the Maharashtra government accepted his request with certain conditions.
But four years later he received another notification to leave the country.
In desperation, Krishna moved the High Court to remain in India only to be told that the court could not interfere with the decisions taken by the executive.
Raihani converted to Hinduism during his residence in India. But Iran is an Islamic state and under Shariat law, apostasy or conversion to any religion from Islam is an offence punishable by death. That means, if Raihani is deported to Iran he faces the death penalty.
The possibility looked imminent as on Friday as he was about to be deported after spending three days in the airport's immigration cell.
However, the United Nations High Commission for refugees has asked the High Court for a stay order on his deportation to determine if Krishna qualified as a refugee and can be sent to a third country instead.
Under United Nations guidelines, if an individual lives outside his country but cannot retur
