Asylum

We are familiar with the realities and the problems facing the international
community due to the large presence of asylum seekers. While we understand
that financial deals with weak regimes are the most beneficial form of trade, it
is clear that if economic and political support for despotic regimes continues,
the problem of asylum will only increase. There should be no doubt that
eradicating the root cause of flight is the only satisfactory solution. These can
be identified in the behaviour of despotic regimes of the asylum seekers‘ home
countries and international engagement for financial gain.

It should be recognised that even building iron walls, disregarding
international standards in assessing asylum claims, removing rights of
appeal or enforced deportations would not be a successful deterrent in the
long term if the issue were not resolved at its root.

Iranian asylum seekers are no exception and their numbers are alarmingly on
the increase. Over seventy percent of Iranians are below the age of thirty.
None of the Islamic Republic‘s factions, reformist or hardline, have the
answers to the needs of Iran‘s young population. The Islamic Republic‘s
factional infighting will not and cannot produce the solutions to poverty,
unemployment, social problems, or lack of national and international
credibility.

In the face of numerous repeated international censures the Islamic Republic
attempts to offer traditions and cultural differences as an acceptable defence
for its abusive and unacceptable behaviour. Firstly, cultural differences are
not an excuse for violation of rights. Secondly, these cultural differences
allude to the regime‘s ideology and not the wishes and practices of the
Iranian people.

According to the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of
Refugees, a refugee is a person who “owing to a well-founded fear of being
persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a
particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his
nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail
himself of the protection of that country.”

At European immigration courts ACI has successfully argued that Iranian
women who are victims of domestic violence form a social group, that
religious converts classed as apostates are not fundamentally safe and that
the discrimination experienced by Iran‘s various ethnic groups is the same
as the persecution mentioned in the 1951 Convention. In addition, we are
working towards improving and amending the existing immigration rules and
regulations to reflect the changing world.

ASYLUM CHARTER

Farsi

English

Protest over

Proposed Harmonisation

of EU Asylum Laws

 

We are familiar with the realities and the problems facing the international community due to the large presence of asylum seekers. While we understand that financial deals with weak regimes are the most beneficial form of trade, it is clear that if economic and political support for despotic regimes continues, the problem of asylum will only increase. There should be no doubt that eradicating the root cause of flight is the only satisfactory solution. These can be identified in the behaviour of despotic regimes of the asylum seekers’ home countries and international engagement for financial gain.

 

It should be recognised that even building iron walls, disregarding international standards in assessing asylum claims, removing rights of appeal or enforced deportations would not be a successful deterrent in the long term if the issue were not resolved at its root.

 

Iranian asylum seekers are no exception and their numbers are alarmingly on the increase. Over seventy percent of Iranians are below the age of thirty. None of the Islamic Republic’s factions, reformist or hardline, have the answers to the needs of Iran’s young population. The Islamic Republic’s internal bickering and fighting will not produce the solutions to poverty, unemployment, social problems, or lack of national and international credibility.

 

In the face of numerous repeated international censures the Islamic Republic attempts to offer traditions and cultural differences as an acceptable defence for its abusive and unacceptable behaviour. Firstly, cultural differences are not an excuse for violation of rights. Secondly, these cultural differences allude to the regime’s ideology and not the wishes and practices of the Iranian people.

 

According to the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.”

 

At European immigration courts ACI has successfully argued that:

 

  • Iranian women who are victims of domestic violence form a social group, 

 

  • religious converts classed as apostates are not fundamentally safe,

 

  • discrimination experienced by Iran’s various ethnic groups is the same as the persecution mentioned in the 1951 Convention.

 

In addition, we are working towards improving and amending the existing immigration rules and regulations to reflect the changing world.

 

حمايت از پناهندگان ايراني

 

مركز اصلي اين اعتراض در شهر استكهلم پايتخت سوئد بود و داريوش اقبالي هنرمند بزرگ و مردمي ايران كه هميشه اعتراض هايش به نابرابريهاي اجتماعي ـ سياسي زبانزد بوده است نيز با حضور خود اين حركت اعتراضي را حمايت نمود. بدون ترديد حضور اهل قلم و انديشه، هنرمندان و برگزيدگان جامعه ما در چنين گردهم آئي هائي نشانگر بيداري، هوشياري و ايستادگي و مقاومت ما ايرانيان به تمامي دولت ها و مردم جهان بوده و خواهد بود.

 

 Hossein-Ladjevardi-steps
Dr Hossein Ladjevardi
Stockholm gathering – 18 June 2004 –

Dr Hossein Ladjevardi, ACI’s President going up to address the crowd

 Dariush-and-Hossein-Ladjevardi2
Darisuh and Dr Ladjevardi
Stockholm Gathering – 18 June 2004

The size of the crowd was unprecedented. Darisuh and Hossein Ladjevardi salute them.

 Dariush-and-Hossein-Ladjevardi
Darisuh and Hossein Ladjevardi
 Dariush-addressing-crowds
Dariush addressing the crowd
Stockholm Gathering – 18 June 2004 – Gathering was in support of Iranian asylum seekers everywhere
Darisuh
Stockholm Gathering – 18 June 2004 – Gathering in support of Iranian asylum seekers everywhere
 

 

Roya Kashefi is responsible for this section of ACI’s activities.

 

She may be contacted on:

+44 7960945970 or rk [at] aciiran [dot] com