AN Iranian asylum seeker with serious health problems is facing hefty medical bills and possible deportation after the government rejected her asylum application, it emerged yesterday.
Elahem Rahimi, 37, fled to Cyprus in 2007 for political reasons, but fell seriously ill around eight months ago, requiring daily dialysis and, last week, the amputation of both feet.
The asylum service’s refugee reviewing authority rejected her application on February 20, making her technically an illegal resident, and no longer entitled to her €1000 monthly allowance.
On April 14 she appealed to the Supreme Court to review the decision.
However, with the appeal pending Rahimi has fallen between the bureaucratic cracks, facing deportation and a reported €21,000 bill for her operation and other medical costs.
Speaking through a translator yesterday, Rahimi pleaded for the government to tell her why they rejected her application, why the doctors did not carry out the amputation earlier when her application was pending.
She added that if the Cypriot government is unable or unwilling to help her, she wanted to be sent to another country that would.
