Support Striking Asylum Seekers in Turkey

October 2003

UNHCR Ankara

Sancak Mah., 12. Cadde 212 Sokak   No.3, 06550 Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey

Tel: +90 312-4411696; Fax: +90 312-4412173; E-mail: Turan@Unhcr.Ch

We, the undersigned, condemn the inhuman situation and rightlessness of Iranian refugees and refugee claimants in Turkey and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) treatment and performance vis-à-vis thousands of refugees and claimants in Turkey. We demand that the UNHCR

1. Recognise the right to asylum for those fleeing Iran especially women and children;

2. Immediately re-open and review all closed case files; specially sitting strikers in Ankara:

1-MR, Babak shadidi Case No:S-5938

2-MR, Alireza alizadeh moghadam Case No: A-7561

3-MR, Sadeghe torab mostaedi Case No: T-1338

4- MRS,Nazila mohamad hasani zamani Case No: M-7217

5- MRS,Farideh asadi Case No: J-1402

4. Improve the determination procedures, including the disclosure of the reasons for rejection, increasing the number of appeals and interviews and expediting reviews;

5. Provide basic living and health needs for refugees and refugee claimants and their residence in cities away from the border areas and outside the reach of terrorist agents;

6. Intervene resolutely against deportations. The UNHCR is responsible for the threats to the lives and safety of deportees;

7. Immediately resettle those recognised as refugees to a safe third country, including those Iranians who have fled Iraqi Kurdistan for fear of their lives and the inactivity of the UNHCR offices in Northern Iraq; and

8. Recognise the rights of refugees and claimants to protest.

Copies of letters can be sent to: UNHCR Geneva, UNHCR, HQPRO 2, Case Postal 2500, CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland; Fax: +41-22-739-7353; E-mail: Hqpr00@Unhcr.Ch and International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR), P. O. Box 27236, London N11 27F; Tel: +44 (0) 7730 107 337; Fax: +358 631 542 53; ifir@ukonline.co.uk; or farshadhoseini@yahoo.com , http://www.hambastegi.org