Hitchin man launches last appeal against deportation from Russia
Dr John Gordon faces deportation from Russia because his visa application was a day late - Credit: Archant
A final appeal against deportation from Russia has been launched by a cancer sufferer.
John Gordon, who previously lived in Hitchin for 30 years and raised his family there, has launched an appeal against his deportation to the Supreme Court of Russia in Moscow after his application for a visa was one day late.
Dr Gordon, who has worked on EU-funded agricultural projects in Russia since moving to the country in 1994, was receiving treatment for prostate cancer at Samara Oncology Hospital on August 5 – the day his visa to stay in the country expired.
The 77-year-old, who is still a member of social networking men’s group the Hitchin 41 Club, applied for a visa the following day but it was rejected. He was later arrested and ordered to leave Russia. Dr Gordon then managed to get his deportation delayed while he appealed because his high blood pressure made him a flight risk. Since then he has unsuccessfully appealed to local and regional courts in Samara in south east Russia, and to the European Court of Human Rights.
Dr Gordon said: “I have a lot of people working on the appeal but I have no idea when the case will be heard.
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“It could be a week, a month or even six months.
“Health wise I have now had three successive successful check-ups in a row and the doctors have told me that if things continue the way they are I won’t need radiotherapy.
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“That would have been an issue because the authorities have forbidden me from being an inpatient because of my immigration status. That would have meant coming in on a daily basis to have radiotherapy.
“Luckily my scans have been clear so things are really looking up health wise, I just wish I could say the same for my immigration status.”
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: “We are aware of the case of British national in Samara, Russia, and have provided him with consular assistance.”
