Lawand Hamadamin, who was born unable to communicate, left a refugee camp in Dunkirk, France, before being offered a place at a deaf school in the UK
A deaf seven-year-old boy, who fled Iraq after ISIS said disabled children should be killed by lethal injection, has won a last-minute reprieve to stay in the UK.
Lawand Hamadamin, who was born unable to communicate, left a refugee camp in Dunkirk, France, before being offered a place at a deaf school in the UK – where he ‘thrived’.
He has been studying at the Royal School for the Deaf Derby but earlier his year Lawand and his family were told to pack their belongings before being sent to Germany.
Lawand’s mother Golbahar Hussein, his father Rebwar Golbahayh and nine-year-old brother Rawa were told by the Home Office they would be deported on January 9.
The family appealed the decision and were allowed to stay in the country while they fought the deportation.
Their dream of being allowed to permanently settle in Britain is now a step closer after a tribunal judge granted them permission to challenge the decision in court.
The family were forced to flee Iraq in 2015 when Islamic State ordered disabled children be ‘liquidated’ by lethal injection.
Following a perilous journey – during which Lawand had to cover his head with a plastic bag in order to protect his cochlear implant – the family then spent one year in a tent in the French camp.
While there, he could not learn to communicate due to a lack of volunteer teachers and was unable to charge the batteries in his implant, which began to fail.
In a desperate bid to leave the camp his family hid in the back of a lorry to gain access to the UK.
The youngster has since learned to communicate using British Sign Language at the school in Derby where staff are working with solicitors supported by DeafKidz International in a bid to reverse the Home Office decision.
Lawand’s father Rebwar (pictured) said: ‘We are extremely relieved that we have been granted some more time to prove to the Home Office why Lawand needs to stay in Derby’
Refugee Lawand Hamadamin (centre) with classmates Rainers Askolskis (left) and Rylee White, six
Following a perilous journey – during which Lawland had to cover his head with a plastic bag in order to protect his cochlear implant – the family then spent one year in a tent in the French camp (pictured)
Dunkirk refugee camp from where Lawland Hamadamin was rescued and brought to the UK
Lawand’s mother Golbahar Hussein, his father Rebwar Golbahayh and nine-year-old brother Rawa were told by the Home Office they would be deported on January 9. File picture of the Dunkirk refugee camp
Now a tribunal judge has granted them permission to challenge his removal from the UK under the Dublin Regulations, after deciding the case is ‘arguable’.
Staff at the Royal School for the Deaf hoped the decision would be reversed and more than 11,000 people signed a petition to fight his deportation.
Headteacher Helen Shepherd said: ‘We are delighted that the Judge considering the case thinks it has merits.
Staff at the Royal School for the Deaf hoped the decision would be reversed and more than 11,000 people signed a petition to fight his deportation
‘Lawand has made exceptional progress with us since arriving at the school and both staff and parents were devastated that he might have to leave.
‘When Lawand arrived at the school he had no means of communicating with anyone, even his own family.
‘Today he is signing incredibly well and we are extremely proud of this happy little boy.
‘He has made good friends who he is able to communicate with, he has grown both physically and in confidence and has completely exceeded all our expectations.
‘Lawand has been through a great deal for someone so young.
‘There is no doubt in my mind that it would be detrimental to his health and well-being to remove him from this setting now.’
Lawand’s father Rebwar said: ‘We are extremely relieved that we have been granted some more time to prove to the Home Office why Lawand needs to stay in Derby.
‘He has made incredibly good progress since coming to this school and we are desperate for this good work to continue.
‘He would go back to the beginning if we were removed and the deportation would be frightening and devastating for the whole family.’