We are calling on the Minister, Department of Justice and all relevant authorities to grant permission for Mourad Mehdi to remain in Ireland — where he has become an active, valued, and deeply respected member of our community.

Mourad is not only a hardworking, honest, and compassionate person — he has also become a dear friend to many. His generosity, warmth, and dedication to community life reflect the very best of what Ireland stands for.

Mourad is more than just a friend, he is family; and he is a vital member of our community, a neighbour, a colleague, and a cherished extended family member to those who hold him dear. 

Mourad has stated that if he were forced to return to his country of origin, he would face a real risk of torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment, due to his personal circumstances. Under both Irish and international human rights law, including Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Ireland has a duty to protect individuals from refoulement to countries where they may face such treatment.

Since arriving in Ireland in April 2022, Mourad has shown an unwavering commitment to giving back — through tireless volunteering, community building, and by supporting others. Mourad has become a valued and active participant in our diverse and welcoming community.

Since moving to Moate in 2024, his impact has been profound:

🌟 Volunteering:

• Mourad is a formal Member of New Horizon Refugee Support Group, a nationally recognised and award-winning charity that provides a range of supports to asylum seekers and refugees. He supports other members in our community, through many integration activities and volunteering outlined below.
• Regular volunteer with Moate Tidy Towns, improving the beauty and environment of our town.
• Donated his professional painting skills to renovate the Moate Tidy Town HQ — creating a warm, welcoming space for all.
• Volunteers at the Sensory Garden in Dún na Sí Amenity and Heritage Park.
• Volunteered at the Annual Flower Planting Day with Tuar Ard Arts Centre — bringing vibrancy to our shared spaces.

🌟 Building Community & Promoting Well-being:

• Active member of Moate Connected Community, uniting residents, asylum seekers, and volunteers.
• Active member in the local “Walk and Talk” group supporting mental health and community well-being.
• Key leader in forming a local Sanctuary Runners Group — using sport to foster solidarity and inclusion. He initiated a weekly running group to support the mental health of fellow refugees and asylum seekers.

🌟 Professional Contribution:

• Is a professionally trained pastry chef and skilled painter and decorator.
• Mourad has worked in local businesses and aspires to open his own enterprise, contributing economically and culturally to Irish society.

Humanitarian Considerations:

There are strong humanitarian grounds to grant Mourad leave to remain:

✅ Positive integration and contribution: 
Mourad gives back through extensive volunteering, helping to build strong social bonds in our diverse community through his volunteerism, kindness, and inclusive spirit. He has demonstrated the many ways he enriches our community through his community actions and is making a significant impact. He has contributed significantly to the social and cultural fabric of our locality. His presence enriches our society — and his removal would be a grave injustice to us all who stand with him in solidarity.  I have no doubt he will continue to bring great value and contribution to Irish society if given the opportunity. 

✅ Well-Established Personal and Family Life:
Mourad's presence in our community has been marked by his compassion, generosity, and resilience. He has established deep personal relationships and friendships in Ireland.  Mourad is not only kind, honest, reliable, and respectful — he truly makes others feel welcome and valued. He brings warmth and positivity to any setting, and treats those around him with deep compassion and care.  

But much more than this, on a personal level, he has become a dear friend to our family and is treated as family. He has shown great kindness to my own mother, treating her as family — a small but powerful reflection of his generous spirit and strong values. Mourad understands the importance of relationships, of building connections across generations and backgrounds, and of contributing meaningfully to the life of our community.  He is now firmly embedded in our local community.

✅ Mental health & well-being: 
Participation in fitness and community groups supports both his and others’ mental health — disrupting this would risk significant personal harm.

✅ Prospects of employment and self-sufficiency: 
Mourad is highly employable and aspires to start his own business — contributing to Irish society.  His prospects of self-sufficiency through employment and entrepreneurship show he will continue to contribute positively to Irish society.

✅ Good character: 
Mourad’s character and conduct, both within and outside the State, have always been of the highest standard. Since his arrival in Ireland, Mourad has shown outstanding integration, respect for Irish laws, and has never come to the adverse attention of An Garda Síochána.

✅ Length of stay and strong roots: 
Mourad has lived for 3+ years in Ireland with growing ties.  He is now embedded in the local community.

✅ Impact on others: 
In a time when many asylum seekers face uncertainty and stress, Mourad has shown incredible resilience and a true desire to give back to the country that has welcomed him and he now calls home. His leadership and ongoing participation in promoting mental health, social connection and community well-being initiatives (such as Tidy Towns, Walk and Talk group and Sanctuary Runners) provides vital social support, especially for those affected by the trauma of displacement.  He enriches the lives of many, including vulnerable community members. His removal would negatively impact those around him. 

Current Situation:

• Mourad now faces the threat of deportation — an action that disregards the spirit of justice and equal human rights. Deporting him would not only tear him from the life and friendships he has built and the people he loves but also from the country that he has come to call home. 
• Such a decision contradicts our values of fairness, compassion, and humanity. Ireland would be a lesser place without people like Mourad.
• Deportation would would cause him great psychological distress caused by returning to his country of origin where he has left for reasons of presecution, separating long term friendships and deny him the fundamental freedom to thrive in a land where he has forged a life of dignity and hope and to contribute in the community he serves so generously.

Our Call to Action:

For all these reasons, we, the undersigned, ask the Minister for Justice and all relevant authorities to:

✅ Re-examine Mourad’s case with fairness and transparency.
✅ Grant him the protections and status he is entitled to under Irish and international law.
✅ Recognise Mourad’s strong roots and positive contributions to Irish society.  By halting this deportation, you uphold justice and human rights, and affirm our nation's values of acceptance and inclusivity.
✅ Grant him permission to remain and continue his life here, recognising the clear and compelling merits of his case. 

Your voice matters:

Please sign and share this petition today — together, we can make a difference. Let’s stand up for fairness, compassion, and community.

By signing this petition, you help shine a light on this injustice, to ensure that, fairness and humanity triumph over discrimination and injustice and show that our community stands united for what is right. Mourad needs your support now more than ever.

Ireland needs people with Mourad's skills, values and passion for service to his community.  Mourad deserves the chance to stay and thrive in Ireland. 

Please sign this petition to join us in standing in solidarity with Mourad.

#LetMouradStay #JusticeForMourad #CommunitySolidarity