The National Union of Journalists are to immediately renew an by journalist Charles Atangana for leave to apply for judicial review of the deportation order against him following refusal of an earlier bid by the Home Office.

In a direct appeal to Home Secretary Theresa May the NUJ are requesting that the Home Office and UK Border Agency do not deport Atangana whilst that process is continuing.

Atangana fled Cameroon in 2004 following critical reporting of the government and has continued to be outspoken on the matter from his new home in Glasgow.

Explaining their stance the NUJ said they believed that the situation facing journalists in Cameroon has “sharply deteriorated” since March citing the case of four journalists investigating corruption in a nationalised oil company in the African state. One died in detention and the remaining three are being held in “shockingly poor conditions.”

In a statement the NUJ said: “…we have grave fears for his safety if he is forcibly returned to Cameroon, indeed we would argue that to deport him to Cameroon now would be a serious breach of his human rights.”

The NUJ are calling for an urgent lobby at 1pm Monday 02 August outside the Home Office/UK Borders Agency buildings, 200 Brand Street, G51 1DH Glasgow, to try to halt the deportation.