Transfer of TIPF refugees to Sweden:

IFIR’s delegates meeting with Swedish foreign affair ministry

 It was in early Dec. 2006, the office of the International Federation of Iranian refugees (IFIR) was made aware that the Swedish government has refused to accept the ex-members of Mujahedin of Khalgh, refugees settled at TIPF camp of Iraq. The Federation initiated sets of actions to impact the Swedish government’s decision making process. One of the IFIR’s goals was to address this problem at a meeting with highly ranked officers of the Swedish foreign affair ministry.

On December 13/2006, IFIR’s delegates Mina Ahadi and Afsahneh Vahdat met with the following officers of the Swedish foreign affair ministry: Daniel Emilson, responsible for the Middle East and Northern Africa section, Ana lay Kind responsible for Iran and Iraq section, Victoria Lee the Human Rights responsible of the ministry and two other colleagues of the ministry.

The agenda of this meeting was regarding the increasing number of execution verdicts in Iran especially execution of children and teen ages as well as court orders of stoning. In continuation to these conversations the subject of the situation of Iranian refugees at Iraq’s TIPF was brought up.

During this meeting Mina Ahadi explained in details the situation of these refugees from the beginning until today and emphasized that these refugees are all dissidents against the Islamic Republic of Iran and could not return to Iran nor they could stay in Iraq; that 10 refugees who had family members in Sweden were planned by the UNHCR to be transferred to Sweden, but the Swedish government after having meeting with the Swedish security office, has refused to accept them, because of the past collaborations of these refugees with the Mujahedin. Mina Ahadi while criticizing the Swedish government for its encounter with the opposition forces and dissidents against the Islamic Republic of Iran, inquired that these refugees be accepted and immediately transferred to Sweden.

Delegates of the Swedish foreign affair ministry proclaimed that unfortunately they do not have detailed information regarding this issue and regarding decisions made by the immigration ministry and asked the office of IFIR to immediately send the information to them. They promised that they will start their follow up as soon as they receive the information and will communicate the result with the Federation.

IFIR condemns the Swedish government’s decision of transfer refusal of TIPF’s refugees to Sweden. IFIR will continue its activities to apply pressure on the Swedish government to change its decision concerning this important humanitarian issue.

International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR)

December 20, 2006