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Israel welcomes Iranian-born blogger who feared deportation back to Tehran

‘You saved me,’ declares Neda Amin as she arrives at Ben Gurion Airport

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Neda Amin – the Iranian-born blogger for the Times of Israel’s Persian website – has arrived safely in Israel after facing deportation from Turkey.

Ms Amin, 32, feared that had another country not accepted her, she would be forced to return to Iran, where she was concerned for her safety.

Israeli government officials responded to calls from the Times of Israel to admit her to the country, and she arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport earlier today.

She was greeted by David Horovitz, the Times of Israel’s editor.

Ms Amin said: “If not for Israel, I don't know what would have happened. Israel truly believes in human rights. Thank you. You saved me.”

Ms Amin is a regular contributor to the newspaper’s Persian site, and has worked on a freelance basis.

Her work for the Times of Israel was reportedly a factor in her potential deportation from Turkey.

 

 

Ms Amin, who left Iran for Turkey in 2014, had previously appealed to the United Nations and other human rights organisations for protection.

The UN Watch NGO recently circulated a petition on her behalf, saying she was in “grave danger should she be deported back to Iran”.

Mr Horovitz said he was “proud” of his country for acting so quickly in assisting his colleague, saying officials had been “helpful and professional”.

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