A parade was held demanding the truth behind Suraj's case be revealed

Date and time: March 6, 2011 (Sunday) 12:00-14:00
Meeting point: Jingu-dori Park(10 minutes walk from the East Exit of Shibuya Station, next to Miyashita Park)
Number of participants: Approximately 70 people (from Ghana, Japan, the United States, Pakistan, Iran, etc.)

In March 2010, a Ghanaian man, Abubakar Awudu Suraj, died.

Suraj had overstayed his visa period and was told by the Immigration Bureau to leave Japan. However, he had a Japanese wife and was in the process of asking the court and the Immigration Bureau to allow him to live with his wife in Japan, where he was used to living. Meanwhile, the Immigration Bureau carried out a deportation to Ghana without telling his wife, and Suraj died during the deportation.

There has been no official announcement as to how Suraj died, but from discussions with the Ministry of Justice, the circumstances are as follows. Suraj was forced onto a plane by immigration officials, who handcuffed him and used a towel as a gag in his mouth. Suraj then collapsed and died.
At the end of last year, 10 immigration officials involved in the deportation were referred to the prosecutor's office. The Chiba District Public Prosecutors Office is currently deciding whether to indict or not. We are waiting for a prompt and appropriate decision.

A parade was held in Shibuya with the aim of calling for early prosecution of Suraj's case and to raise awareness of Suraj's case among the general public.

During the parade, we handed out flyers to passersby, which was well received. Some people joined in the middle of the parade, and we received donations to the Suraj Fund, making it a very successful parade.

This time, Suraj's friend took the microphone and took the lead in making the appeal. APFS will continue to work with Suraj's wife, friends, and legal team to uncover the truth behind Suraj's case.