Iranian Asylum Seeker Attempts Suicide to Avoid Deportation

Nourzad Alimoradi, a 33-year-old Iranian asylum seeker, attempted suicide for the second time at Istanbul Airport on June 26, as he faced imminent deportation to Iran.

Alimoradi, originally from Sarpol-e-Zahab in Iran's Kermanshah province, had been seeking asylum in Norway for eight years.

He was transferred to Turkey for deportation to Iran, a move that could put his life at risk due to his affiliation with the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, an opposition group.

According to reports from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Alimoradi's deportation attempt was marred by violence and controversy.

Eyewitnesses on Turkish Airlines flight TK 874 described a chaotic scene where Alimoradi was forcibly brought onto the plane by four Norwegian police officers.

The situation escalated when Alimoradi, strapped to a wheelchair, cried out for help and reportedly cut his wrist, causing severe bleeding.

The pilot and passengers protested the forced deportation, with the pilot going so far as to exit the aircraft through the emergency exit in protest.

This unprecedented action led to the postponement of Alimoradi's deportation for the second time.

Alimoradi said he had been injected with a "strong sedative" and felt his consciousness slipping.

Passengers attempting to document the incident reported that Turkish Airlines staff confiscated their devices and deleted videos of the incident.

This latest incident follows a similar suicide attempt by Alimoradi at Istanbul Airport on June 19.

After that attempt, he was briefly returned to Norway before being transferred back to Turkey within a week for deportation to Iran.