The Austrian Catholic news agency KATHPRESS has reported that a pastor is trying to help a Chechen family which is facing deportation from Austria to Russia.

According to the information, Pastor Wilfried Blum from the town of Rankweil has started a signature campaign to prevent the deportation of a Chechen asylum seeking family to Russia. Since October 10, he has already collected 400 signatures and he hopes that there will be more support from all over Austria.

The Chechen family, which includes three small children had to flee from the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria due to the ongoing brutal Russian occupation and repression, and they arrived in Austria in 2007. The family has lived in the town of Rankweil since May 2013 thanks to the housing of Caritas. However, after a negative decision from the Austrian Asylum Court, it was asked that the family leave the country.

Pastor Wilfried Blum is planning to appeal to the State of Vorarlberg with the signatures that he is going to collect, and he hopes that there will be a solution for the family.

*Text was written by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco