Rahim Rostami

Rahim Rostami (born 16 June 1991 in Narest, Iran) is an Iran-born asylum seeker who became known to the public in Norway via national TV station NRK in the investigative journalism "NRK Brennpunkt" programs where he in twice appeared in programs focusing on Senjehesten Asylum Seeker Reception Center where he came forward as spokesperson for criticism from the residents.

The Brennpunkt programs pointed out unacceptable conditions at this reception center, which was later closed-down.

Following the Brennpunkt programs, Rostami and three other residents were moved to another reception center, allegedly to regain calm at the center.

Rostami came to Norway as a minor.

His asylum application was based on fear of persecution and the consequences of a death penalty following an in absentia judgement in Iran that he became aware of after he fled.

The Norwegian Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) found the documentation to not be credible, and turned down the asylum application.

As Rostami attempted to open a bank account, the bank notified the immigration authorities, and he was arrested by the National Police Immigration Service and deported to Teheran, where he was handed over to Iranian authorities, who imprisoned him in Evin prison with a bail option that was shortly after withdrawn.

Rahim fled from Iran in August 2008, via Turkey and Greece to Norway, and applied for asylum in October 2008.

According to article in the weekly magazine Ny Tid the asylum application was in part founded on an in absentia judgement from Iran that UDI and UNE considered false, and consequently did not take into consideration in the evaluation of the asylum application.

During his first year at the reception center, Rostami learned Norwegian.

During a public meeting at Skrolsvik on the island of Senja, he held an appeal in Norwegian on the unacceptable conditions at the reception center.

Rostami applied for asylum in Norway 12 October, 2008.

His application was initially evaluated and turned down by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) 9 October, 2009, and the rejection was sustained by the Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board 5.

July 2010.

Rostami was then ordered to leave the country within 4 August, 2010.

Rostami was imprisoned in Evin prison, Teheran from 10 ,2011 to 20 June, 2011, when he was released on bail to await trial.

In June 2011, Rostami's attorney Cecilie Schjatvet said: "There is no doubt that the death penalty against Rahim Rostami is real".

The bail sum was almost 90,000 Euro.

Rostami comes from the village Narest in the western Iran.

He came to Norway 17 years old as an unaccompanied minor.

A revocation request was filed, but the Immigration Appeals Board sustained their decision 9 February, 2011, the same date he was detained by the National Police Immigration Service.

He was deported to Iran the next day.

Rostami became known to Norwegian media through the national TV station NRK, in the investigative journalism "Brennpunkt" programs where he in twice appeared in programs focusing on Senjehesten Asylum Seeker Reception Center.

The center had received extensive criticism for that the center manager countered in both programs and also later.

The criticism focused on the center manager running illegal shop activities in the center, reprehensible conditions in the sanitary installations, inadequate technical maintenance, lacking activation opportunities, that a driver (already paid to do the job) demanded payment for driving residents to the nearest village Finnsnes, and that the center manager was insufficiently available.

Prior to the opening of the center, the locals had warned UDI against giving operating permit to a person that was previously convicted for economic crimes and had run bankrupt several times.

A person formerly in charge of activities at Senjehesten that was dismissed from his position and tok the dismissal to the court was awarded his job back, and a financial compensation.

Senjehesten reception center was later closed down following continuous dissatisfaction from UDI regarding how the center was run.

Following the Brennpunkt program showing 18-year-old Rostami in front of an enthusiastic audience at a public meeting, he and three other residents was ordered to move from the center against own wish, and instead sent to Oscarsgata reception center in Vadsø.

Rostami's former guardian Frode Olsen reacted strongly on the moving order, and opened his home for free for Rostami, who then lost his financial support from UDI when moving out of the center.

''– Rahim has never been involved in any episodes at the reception center.

He has behaved exemplary.

All he has done is to be spokesperson for the asylum seekers at Senjehesten.

That is why they ordered him to Vadsø,'' Frode Olsen said to NRK.

While the immigration authorities processed the revocation request towards the UNE rejection, Rostami lived with friends in the Oslo region.

In February 2011, a bank notified the immigration authorities that Rostami attempted to open a bank account bankkonto.

He was detained in the bank by the National Police Immigration Service 9 February 2011, the same day UNE rejected the revocation request.

After one night at Trandum Detention Center Rostami was deported to Teheran with police escort 10 February 2011, arriving 11.

February at around 1 pm.

He was there handed over to Iranian authorities, who immediately arrested him.