A Kurd facing deportation from Sweden was granted a temporary stay after fellow passengers aboard his flight to Iran refused to fasten seat belts so that the plane could take off. Kurdish, Ghader Ghalamere, fled the country years ago in fear of persecution by Iranian authorities. He is now husband to Fatemeh, a Swedish resident, and father of two.

Mr. Ghalamere is eligible to apply for a residence permit, but a quirk in Sweden`s immigration laws render him required to apply for the residence permit outside of Sweden, the Independent wrote.

Mr. Ghalamere was asked by the police to travel to Norway and apply for a Swedish passport from there, but a two-week attempt bore fruitless and he returned to Sweden empty-handed. Upon his arrival to Sweden, the family was told his trip had proven the children could survive in his absence, and Sweden`s Migration Board ordered his deportation.

“It`s enough now. No one who sees the family can doubt that it would harm the children to their father expelled,” Sanna Vestin, chairman of the Swedish Network of Refugee Support Groups (FARR), said. Ms. Vestin has followed the family`s fate since the father contacted FARR a year ago.

Mr. Ghalamere was put on a flight at Ostersund bound for Stockholm – and ultimately Iran itself – by Swedish authorities on Thursday. Accompanied by his friends and family, they gathered in the departure lounge at the airport, speaking to other passengers preparing to board the flight and explained the situation.

Seemingly, the fellow passengers were moved by Mr. Ghalamere`s story and refused to fasten their seat belts, which prevented the pilots from taking off. Later, Mr. Ghalamere was taken to a migrant detention center, with Sweden`s migration board insisting nothing has changed regarding his fate.

Before finally fleeing to Sweden, Mr. Ghalamere fled torture and execution in Iran by travelling to neighboring Turkey, where he met Fatemeh and was granted refugee status by the UN`s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“Now his case has received attention in the media – even in Iran itself. There is one more reason to reconsider the case. The Migration Board can do [his hearing] over and do it right,] Ms. Vestin noted.

Mr. Ghalamere has gone on a hunger strike since he was returned to the detention center. With FARR having organized two demonstrations for Tuesday in Ostersund in Gavle, campaigners have also set up a Facebook group, which has since gathered 4,000 members.