MELANIE WHITING
An appeal to allow an Iranian student to apply for a partnership visa while on shore is being considered by the Federal Government after she was sent to immigration detention.
Mojgan Shamsalipoor, 21, who came by boat to Australia in 2012 and is married to an Australian resident, was forcibly sent to a Darwin detention centre last month.
Ms Shamsalipoor was a student at Yeronga State High School and the Queensland Teacher’s Union have been organising public demonstrations since she was removed.
QTU representative Jessica Walker says previous submissions on her asylum seeking case were not reviewed by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.
“They were evaluated as not being worthy of his attention,” she said.
“But this most recent submission has been considered and it is now resting with the [Immigration] Minister to make a decision.”
“She’s filled with gratitude to people, she’s just overwhelmed at how much people have spoken out and the action people have taken, particularly the public demonstrations,”
The appeal requests for the removal of a statutory bar which prevents Ms Shamsalipoor from applying for a partnership visa while in Australia.
Ms Walker says it would be very dangerous for Ms Shamsalipoor to go back to Iran to apply for her partnership visa.
“ We know that the [Iranian] Government is very aware of who she is and if she was sent back to Iran she would be detained … and then she would be arrested for the activities she’s been involved with while in Australia,” Ms Walker said.
“ [She would be arrested for] defecting from being a Muslim and being seen dancing in public, all those things that are not allowed in Iran.
“ … Doing anything that is considered to be against the moral code would be seen as a crime.”
Ms Walker recently visited Ms Shamsalipoor in Darwin during visiting hours and reports she is “very hopeful about her future.”
“She’s filled with gratitude to people, she’s just overwhelmed at how much people have spoken out and the action people have taken, particularly the public demonstrations,” she said.
“She’s feeling overwhelmed with the love she is seeing from people.”
Yeronga State High School P&C Vice-President Neil Davidson says supporters will be looking to see how new PM Malcolm Turnbull and the cabinet reshuffle will impact Ms Shamsalipoor’s case.
“We can imagine that they’ll be looking for opportunities to demonstrate they’ve had a change of direction under their new Prime Minister,” he said.
“So we’re hopeful that the growing wave of compassion for asylum seekers and refugees can be extended to the broader community of those in detention already.”