ICC Note: Sarmad Ozan, a Christian who fled ISIS-led violence in Mosul, is facing trouble of a different kind in the UK. In spite of the ongoing genocide against Christians in Iraq, officials in the UK have denied his asylum claim and may be deporting him back to Iraq. He reports that although the UK Home Office advises the public against travelling to Iraq, they are willing to deport refugees who will undoubtedly face violence and discrimination upon their return.

By Harry Farley

09/19/2016 United Kingdom (Christian Today) – An Assyrian Christian who fled Islamic State is fighting a Home Office decision to deny him asylum and send him back to Iraq.

Sarmad Ozan, a 25-year-old former deacon of a church in Mosul, left the northern Iraqi town when ISIS took over in June 2014. Despite the horrific conditions Christians face in the Middle East, officials in the UK Home Office have blocked his claim for asylum on the basis he could return to Kurdistan or Baghdad, according to an interview with Russia Today.

Ozan said a “slow-motion genocide” was being committed against Iraqi Christians day-by-day.

“We were living, before 2003, without discrimination between people. You live with everyone without asking about their religion or anything. But after 2003 it become more difficult. When you are a Christian, when they deal with you, they talk with you, it’s in a different way,” he said.

“There are no Christians now in Mosul, a minority in Baghdad and the south, we are a minority everywhere inside Iraq and this is difficult for the people. They can make fake checkpoints to check for the Christian, they can kill them in the checkpoint.”

Ozan described the ISIS takeover of Mosul. He said at first they didn’t kill anyone – saying they only had an issue with the government, not ordinary people. He said that gave people who had fled the confidence to return to their homes before the real crackdown began.

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