Iranians
at risk of Deportation from Greece
April
16, 2001
11 Iranian asylum seekers arrested on April 4, 2001 and sentenced to four months in prison for staging a sit-in at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Athens, Greece are at risk of being deported to Iran. The 11 were demanding resettlement to a safe third country and protection. While in prison, the asylum seekers have been tortured and given electric shocks. The eleven are: Saeed Shokrani, Noruz Sharifi, Khaled Moradi, Mahmoud Mahmoudi, Ismail Moniry, Daryoush Javadi Bara, Mohammad Hamrang, Saeed Heydary, Mehdi Ramazani, Hassan Ranjbar and Hussein Moslemi.
IFIR condemns the Greek government’s imprisonment and torture of asylum seekers who have fled one of the most brutal regimes to seek protection from torture and persecution. The IFIR holds the Greek government and the UNHCR accountable for their lives and safety.
In order to prevent their deportation and defend their right to asylum, IFIR has initiated an international campaign. Many individuals and organisations have sent protest letters to the Greek government and UNHCR officials. IFIR-Greece Representative, Suresh Naurasi, also met with the Greek Minister of Justice to request intervention in this matter. The Minister agreed to raise the matter in parliament. Moreover, IFIR branches in Germany (Frankfurt, Essen, Koln and Hanover), London, UK, Sydney, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden are organising demonstrations at Greek embassies and consulates on April 17 and 18 to demand their release and right to asylum.
Only a strong international campaign has prevented their deportation so far. The IFIR calls on all concerned individuals, progressive organisations and institutions to condemn the Greek government's action, demand their immediate release, and transfer to safe third country. Send protest letters to: Greek Prime Minister's Office: mail@primeminister.gr, The Greek Mission to the UN: mission.greece@itu.ch, The UNHCR Office in Greece: great@unhcr.ch, UNHCR Headquarters: HQAO00@unhcr.ch.