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Syrian Commissioner's Travel Ban Overturned

Tuesday May 16 2015

The Home Office has overturned a decision to refuse to grant a visa to a Syrian minister scheduled to attend the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland this weekend.

The British Embassy in Amman, Jordan informed the World Mission Council today that it had reviewed the case of Rev Rola Sleiman, and granted her permission to enter the UK.

The Church of Scotland has welcomed the ruling, which had seen Ms Sleiman, a representative of the National Evangelical (Protestant) Church of Syria and Lebanon, banned from travelling to Edinburgh for the Assembly.

The Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, the Very Rev Dr John Chalmers, said: “We are grateful to the Home Office who have heard our request and granted a visa waiver enabling the Rev Rola Sleiman to travel and join us at the General Assembly.
 
“It was clear from the support that we received overnight from the media, the public and the church that people felt a mistake had been made and an important voice might be missing from our Assembly.
 
“In the end common sense prevailed and it has all happened in time for us to complete Rola’s travel arrangements.
 
“We now look forward to welcoming her.”

Ms Sleiman, the first female pastor in the Arab Christian world, is expected to speak to the Assembly about the situation in Syria, and has also been invited to take part in worship at St Giles' Cathedral on Sunday morning.

She was initially told that her visa application had been refused because the UK Visas and Immigration department were not satisfied that her income was as she claimed it to be, that the Church was going to cover her expenses, and that she would leave the UK at the end of the proposed visit.


Syrian Pastor Denied Travel to General Assembly

Syrian Pastor Denied Travel to General Assembly

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