Journalists are to hold a public meeting in Manchester in a bid to prevent the deportation of Pakistani investigative writer Mansoor Hassan.

The North East Manchester Advertiser launched a campaign in September to allow him and his family to stay in the city.

And now the National Union of Journalists is hosting an event at Manchester University to rally support for its national campaign.

Speakers will include NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear, deputy lord mayor of Manchester Coun Afzal Khan and Dr Rhetta Moran, from refugee action group Rapar.

Mansoor is facing deportation to Pakistan where he has already faced violent attacks. His investigative journalism there exposed government and police corruption and he fears he may not be properly protected if he was to return.

He is an active member of the community on Moss Side, where he has served as a parent governor at his children’s school and is a Red Cross volunteer. His wife is a voluntary classroom assistant.

Since launching the campaign, death threats have been arriving at the Advertiser’s offices, and deputy editor Chris Humphries also received a phone call from a man repeating the threats.

The public meeting will be at the Harold Hankins Building at the Oxford Road site of Manchester University on Tuesday, November 9 at 1pm.

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