A brother and sister who escaped an abusive family home in Iran are facing deportation in less than 48 hours.

Aysan Adamiat, 22, and her 15-year-old brother Armin have been living in Castlemilk since February after fleeing their new stepfather, who they say would threaten to kill them daily.

Now, the close-knit duo have just days to change the minds of the Home Office – or risk being forced to return to the ‘nightmare’ they spent so long trying to escape.

“I am terrified to return,” admitted Ms Armait. “It is something I just cannot go back to.”

After their new stepfather’s abuse became too much to bear, the pair first escaped to Denmark, where they stayed with their uncle for two years.

But their plea to remain in the country was refused, and they were again faced with the risk of returning to their family home, and so they tried their luck with the UK in December 2018.

Since moving to Glasgow one month later, the brother and sister have become an integral part of the local church and community, and Armin was looking forward to returning to St Margaret’s Secondary School next week.

They took it one step further earlier this year when they were baptised and professed Christian at Castlemilk Parish Church.

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“To be able to welcome a stranger from another culture and country is just brilliant,” Paul Cathcart, a Deacon at the church explained. “It pains us to see our government are willing to wash their hands of two young people who are trying to establish themselves in such a safe, loving community.”

But unless the Home Office reverse their decision, they face the harsh reality of religious persecution.

“If you change your religion in Iran, they will kill you in the streets with everyone watching,” explained Ms Armait, the fear evident in her voice. “We cannot go back, they will kill us both and they will not care.”

The pair have been faced with this terrifying situation before, having been arrested in June and told they would be deported.

They were awoken by a sharp rap to the door and faced with a terrifying bus journey from Glasgow they were scared would be their last.

“I didn’t see my brother for half an hour – I couldn’t explain to him what was happening,” explained Ms Armait. “When he opened his eyes, he was in shock. He could not say anything, he thought it was a dream.

“The police said don’t worry, you’ll be home soon.”

But when Ms Armait fell ill on the journey, the decision was made to delay the deportation – one that the family welcomed all too graciously.

The pair returned to their Castlemilk home to find their belongings were missing, down to the last article of clothing.

And yet, their missing items are the least of their issues. Since that frightful night in June, the duo have been unable to sleep, with both being placed on medication to ease their nights.

“My brother is talking to a psychologist,” Ms Armait explained. “He cannot sleep at night, and always asks me to sleep in the same room.

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“When we close our eyes, even just for five minutes, we are taken back to that night, and wake up terrified that the police will be at our door again.”

They face the very real possibility of a police visit anytime after Wednesday, as per the advise given to them by the Home Office.

Ms Armait and Mr Cathcart of the church travelled to the Home Office building in Glasgow to appeal the decision but were told nothing could be done.

“The terror she felt on the journey there and as we got closer is something no human should have to go through,” recalled Mr Cathcart. “The absolute despair at being told they had no right to appeal and no right to stay in the UK is just awful.

“She was asking the family engagement worker why they were sending her to end her life.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”