HAMBASTEGI 86
December 1999 to January 2000
IRANIAN WOMEN ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE BEATEN BY THE GERMAN POLICE
Condemn the German Government’s Violations of Refugee Rights
IFIR Secretariat
December 23, 1999
The German government’s refugee rights violations have reached unprecedented heights. Last month in Nurenberg, the German police violently beat four Iranian women asylum seekers, namely Roya Mosayebi, Laleh Saadat, Nosrat Hajsoltani, and Zohreh Firuzan, in order to forcibly veil them. The police then took pictures of the wounded women for completion of their files at the Iranian Embassy in order to facilitate their deportation (refoulement) to Iran. In another incident in Bremen, the German police doctored an unveiled picture of Jamileh B. with a computer for the same purpose.
Subsequent outrage at these acts has prompted the Bremen authorities to back down. However, in response to Roya Mosayebi’s complaint to the Arnsbach court, that court has found that the Nurenberg authorities “acted in accordance with the law.” In its haste to further legitimize the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Arnsbach court has confused German laws with that of the Islamic Republic’s. It is in the Islamic Republic of Iran (and now in Germany) that women are imprisoned, beaten, tortured and forcibly veiled.
The brutal acts against Mosayebi and the others are a continuation of the German government’s policy of blatantly supporting one of the most heinous regimes of this century. The German government has revealed that it will do anything, including routinely re-victimizing the survivors of two decades of sexual apartheid, to further its economic and political interests.
The International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) calls on individuals and groups to resolutely condemn the German government’s violations of refugee and human rights and demand: * an end to deportations to Iran, * asylum for all women and others fleeing the Islamic Republic of Iran, * “refugee sur place” status to the five women and others whose lives and security have been endangered because they have become known to the Iranian authorities for their protests and political opposition activities in Germany, and * full social benefits for asylum seekers and an end to the policy of denying social benefits to those who have received deportation writs.
Send your protest letters, e-mails, and faxes to the following government officials:
* Josef Fischer, Foreign Minister; address: Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany; e-mail: www.bundestag.de/btengver/mail/mail.htm; fax: +49 228 17 30 33.
* Otto Schily, Interior Minister; address: Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany; e-mail: www.bundestag.de/btengver/mail/mail.htm; fax: +49 30 39 81 29 26.
* Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU): e-mail: fraktion@cducsu.bundestag.de, oeffentlichkeitsarbeit@cdu.de, innenpolitik@cdu.de.
* Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD): e-mail: einewelt@spd.de, jusos@spd.de, parteivorstand@spd.de, redaktion@spd.de, gerhard.schroeder@spd.de, fax: +49 288 164 6800.
* Free Democratic Party (FDP): e-mail: webmaster@liberale.de.
* Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS): address: Jagerstr. 67, 10117, Berlin, Germany; e-mail: nowak@bt.pds-online.de, bundesgeschaeftsstelle@pds-online.de, parteivorstand@pds-online.de, redaktion@pds-online.de; fax: +49 30 24 11 04 6.
* Alliance 90/The Greens: address: Luisenstr. 32-34, 10117 Berlin, Germany; e-mail: info@gruene-fraktion.de; fax: 49 30 22 75 65 52.
* Jürgen Chrobog, Ambassador; German Embassy; address: 4645 Reservoir Rd., Washington, DC 20007-1998; e-mail: ge-embus@ix.netcom.com, gic1@germany-info.org; fax: (202) 298-4249 or 333-2653.
Only united protests will push back the German government’s assault on refugee rights and unequivocally defend those seeking protection.
A REFUGEE COMMITS SUICIDE IN PAKISTAN
Condemn the UNHCR's Policies and Practices
IFIR Secretariat
January 6, 2000
On January 3, 2000, Reza Afshar, a fifty-year-old Iranian asylum seeker, committed suicide in protest to the policies of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Islamabad, Pakistan. Afshar who had struggled for so long to save his life took it with his own hands and became yet another victim of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the new world order's inhuman refugee policies. Today, other refugees and the International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) Branch in Pakistan organized and paid for his burial.
Afshar had told the IFIR-Branch in Pakistan that four years ago, the UNHCR had rejected him after asking only two non-biographical questions pertaining to his claim. When he returned to the UNHCR on an appointed date to obtain their decision on his claim, the agency seized his UN letter and closed his casefile. The Pakistani authorities then imprisoned him for 40 months. When the government finally released him recently, Afshar returned to seek assistance from the UNHCR. He was sleeping in front of that office (located across from the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran) for lack of accommodations. After presenting several letters requesting assistance, the UNHCR gave him a notice that his case remained closed. Distraught and unwilling to return to Iran, Afshar took his own life with sleeping pills.
IFIR condemns the UNHCR's utter disregard for refugee lives and holds that agency directly responsible for Afshar's death. The UNHCR's bureaucracy, lengthy determination procedures, interrogatory interviews, lack of a satisfactory appeals process, and withholding of reasons for rejection are responsible for Afshar's death. The UNHCR's non-provision of any financial and living assistance to asylum seekers, and its failure to provide adequate protection and resettlement opportunities are responsible for innumerable such acts of desperation and lost lives in Pakistan and elsewhere.
IFIR calls on all to condemn the UNHCR Pakistan's violations of Reza Afshar's (case number I-16056) human rights by sending protest letter to the UNHCR in Pakistan (e-mail: pakis@unhcr.ch or fax: +92-5127-9455) and the UNHCR in Geneva (e-mail: webmaster@unhcr.ch, +41-22-739-7353).
BAHRAM JALALI MUST NOT BE DEPORTED TO IRAN FROM GERMANY
IFIR Secretariat
December 1999
Bahram Jalali, a political activist, is at imminent risk of being deported to Iran from Germany. Jalali face a serious threat to his life and liberty if forcibly returned. The International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) condemns the German government’s plan to deport Jalali and demands that the government grants him protection. Jalali has a well-founded fear of persecution based on his political opinion. Furthermore, due to his continued activism against the Islamic Republic of Iran in Germany, Jalali is also a "refugee sur place."
In Iran, Jalali was a supporter of the Sazman-e- Cherikha-ye-Fadaian-e-Khalq (Ashraf). In 1981 when a comrade was arrested and executed, Jalali went into hiding but was arrested and imprisoned for 37 months. While in prison, Jalali was seriously tortured. He was whipped until he lost consciousness and was hung from the ceiling. He was starved, often refused visitation rights for months, beaten, psychologically abused and humiliated, and urinated on. His closest friends and comrades were killed. After 37 months, he was given a suspended sentence of three years and was released but only after agreeing to discontinue his activities against the regime. Upon his release, Jalali was discriminated against as a former political prisoner. Jalali continued his political activities against the regime with Workers in Exile at the factory in which he worked. While organizing a strike, he was exposed by the Islamic council of his factory and forced to flee to Germany in 1995.
In addition to his opposition activities in Iran, Jalali has continued his activities against the Islamic regime as an important and well-known activist of the IFIR-Muenster Branch. In 1996, he became familiar with the Worker-communist Party of Iran (WPI) and later joined the WPI. Since December 1997, he has produced a monthly television program condemning the regime. He has also given speeches, conducted several interviews with the media, and actively participated in numerous demonstrations against the regime. His activities in Iran and Germany and his imminent deportation have been publicized in various media worldwide.
IFIR calls on all groups and individuals to condemn the German government’s plan to deport Jalali to his persecutors and demand that he be granted protection. IFIR holds the German government accountable for his life and security. Send your protest letters to:
Oberverwaltungsgreicht, fuer das Land Nordrhein Westfalen, 48143 Muenster, Germany, AKT: 5K 415/96 A Muenster (Bahram Jalali), Fax: +49-251-50 53 52.
SUPPORT HUNGER STRIKING IRANIAN ASYLUM SEEKERS PROTESTING UNHCR POLICIES IN AZERBAIJAN
IFIR Secretariat
January 3, 2000
On December 29, 1999, six Iranian asylum seekers began an ongoing hunger strike in protest the refugee rights violations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The hunger strike, now in its sixth day, has been organized by the Rights Protection Organization of Political Immigrants (RPOPI). Its demands are that the UNHCR recognize Iranians fleeing persecution as refugees, provide suitable accommodations and living allowances, guarantee their safety while in Azerbaijan, and resettle Iranian refugees to safe countries.
According to numerous reports received by the International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR), the UNHCR’s indifference, and negligence has resulted in poverty and malnutrition, especially among refugee children, and in some cases homelessness. Refugees state that they are often humiliated and mistreated and are not given sufficient information on their rights and procedures. Iranian asylum seekers are especially concerned for their safety given the Islamic Republic of Iran’s extensive presence in Azerbaijan; five months ago, another Iranian asylum seeker, Mohammad Maleki, disappeared.
Despite the hunger strikers deteriorating health conditions and legitimate demands, the UNHCR has neither met with them nor addressed their concerns. Since the UNHCR conducts refugee status determination procedures in Azerbaijan for those originating from outside the Commonwealth of Independent States, IFIR holds that organization fully accountable for the lives and security of the six hunger strikers as well as all Iranian asylum seekers in Azerbaijan.
IFIR calls on groups and individuals to support the demands of the hunger strikers by urging the UNHCR Baku Office to:* recognize Iranians fleeing persecution as refugees; * provide suitable accommodations and living allowances; * guarantee their safety while in Azerbaijan and; * resettle Iranian refugees to safe countries. Protest letters can be sent to the UNHCR Baku, fax: +99 412 981134 with copies to the UNHCR Geneva, fax: +41-22-739-7353.
PROTEST THE EXECUTION ORDERS OF AKBAR MOHAMMAD AND AHMAD BATEBI
IFIR Secretariat
January 4, 2000
The Islamic Republic of Iran has officially announced the execution orders of Akbar Mohammadi and Ahmad Batebi who along with hundreds of others were imprisoned during the six days of protests in July 1999. In the past months, execution orders and long-term prison sentences of a number of unnamed individuals have been reported unofficially.
The International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) condemns the brutal Islamic Republic of Iran and calls on groups and individuals to join IFIR's Urgent Action Campaign. Condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for its repression and denial of basic human rights; demand an end to executions and the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including those arrested during the July 1999 protests; and demand unconditional freedom of assembly, association and expression. Send your protest letters, resolutions and petitions to Ali Khamenei and Mohammad Khatami, at the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: Iranemb@salamiran.org ; khatami@president.ir.
IN DEFENSE OF AFGHAN AND IRAQI IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN IRAN
IFIR Secretariat
November 30, 1999
On November 15, 1999, the parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran passed a law permitting the expulsion of two million Iraqi and Afghan immigrants from Iran by the end of year 2000. The International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) condemns this racist and reactionary policy of the Islamic regime.
Having defended the right to asylum, work, residence and citizenship of Iranians in various countries for the past decade, IFIR is all too familiar with policies, which aim to scapegoat immigrants. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s own policies and capitalism are responsible for poverty, misery and unemployment, and not immigrants who are the most exploited segment of the working class in Iran.
IFIR calls on all groups and individuals to defend the new citizens of Iran and prevent a human tragedy by sending protest letters, resolutions and petitions to Ali Khamenei and Mohammad Khatami, at the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: Iranemb@salamiran.org; khatami@president.ir. Send a copy of your letters to IFIR.
LISTEN TO IFIR’S WEEKLY RADIO PROGRAM
Listen to the International Federation of Iranian Refugees’ weekly radio program which discusses refugee and human rights issues as well as organizing efforts on Saturdays from 9:00pm to 9:15pm Tehran time on 41 meters short wave (7520 kilohertz). The program is broadcast via Radio International that can be heard in Iran, surrounding countries as well as in Europe. Radio International broadcasts daily programs from 9:00pm to 9:30pm.
JOIN CHILDREN FIRST
A section of the Founding Document by Soraya Shahabi and Mansoor Hekmat, November 13, 1999
Children First (CF) is a voluntary independent organization formed to defend the civil and human rights of children and to fight for improvements in their living conditions and social status worldwide. CF regards the physical and emotional well-being of all children, their welfare and their free development as the paramount priority under all circumstances and views the position of the child as a fundamental measure of the worth of any society and culture. The way a society treats its children is the most telling testimony to its humanity and liberty. Children must come first, above any national, economic, political, ideological, religious and cultural considerations and interests. CF is an international campaign, both in its outlook and in the scope of its activities and does not recognize any geographical, political, national, ethnic, cultural and religious barriers, and boundaries to its defense of the rights of children. Join Children First.
For more information contact CF, 1661 Denison Street, P. O. Box 76682, Markham, Ontario L3R 0N5, Canada. Tel: 1-416-434-1545. Fax: 1-781-735-8359. E-mail: childrenfirst@pathcom.com. l