Deportation of women's rights activist halted

The deportation of a Syrian women’s rights activist from and her husband to Saudi Arabia has been halted for the time being.

Raja Khouja, 56 and Mahmoud Alhassa, 67 had come to the UK on holiday from Syria when the war broke out, making it impossible for them to return.

A demonstration was held earlier in the week to prevent the elderly couple who were living in Sheffield from being deported.

Today, the Upper Tribunal Court ordered a halt to deportation until consideration of the application for permission to proceed with the Judicial Review has taken place or until further order.

No date has been set for the permission hearing. It is likely to be within the next few weeks.

The Home Office wants to deport the pair to Saudi Arabia, where Mahmoud was born, but Raja says she has received death threats from the country.