TURKEY – forcible return and fear for lives.

The family of Ayoub Parniyani (male); his wife Aysha Khaeirzade; Komas Parniyani and their son are about to be forcibly returned to Iraq where their lives would be in danger. Turkish authorities are showing no respect for the fact that they are recognized refugees. They are now in a detention centre in the Eastern province of Van. Returning them to Iraq would be a violation of the principle of non-refoulement. This principle of international law prohibits the return of refugees to places where their lives could be in danger.

 

The family are Iranian Kurds who fled Iran in 1995 and were granted official refugee status by United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) in northern Iraq. They fled from there to Turkey in 2002 and they were again granted official refugee status in Turkey. They are members of a group of Iranian refugees who have been recognised as official refugees, who have been waiting asylum and resettlement in a safe country.

 

Because they were first granted refugee status in Iraq, the Turkish authorities would not allow them to leave Turkey for another country. Furthermore, despite a letter deliver by the UNHCR, the Turkish authorities have now refused to let this family stay in Turkey and are threatening to deport them back to Northern Iraq regardless of the danger to their lives. The Minister of the Interior has instructed the governor of van province to carry out the forced deportation as soon as possible. 

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

 

Please send appeals as quickly as possible asking the authorities to respect the international legal principle of neon-refoulement and not deport Ayoub Parniyani, Aysha Khaeirzade, Komas Parniyani and their son.

 

Urge them to release the Parniyani family immediately.

 

Ask them to give the Parniyani family effective protection and access to a durable solution to their situation.

 

APPEALS TO:

Minister of the Interior
Besir Atalay
Icisleri Bakanligi,

06644 Ankara,
Turkey
Email : besir.atalay@icisleri.gov.tr

Fax : + 90 312 418 7696

 

Ministry of the Interior – Department of Foreigners Borders Asylum

Head of Department for Foreigners Borders Asylum

(Yabancccilar Hudut Iltica Daire Baskani)

Mehmet TERZIOGLU.

 

Manager Asylum, Migration and Citizenship Branch

(Iltica, Goc, Vantandaslik Sube Muduru)

Mustafa Anlasiker

 

General Secretary Directorate

Emniyet Genel Mudurlugu

Dikmeen Caddesi No:89, Dikmen, Ankara, Turkey

Email: illegalmig@egm.gov.tr, yhidb@egm.gov;tr
Fax : + 90312 466 90 11

 
Governor of Van
Ozdemir AKACAK
Van Valiligi, Van, Turkey
Email : ozdemircakacak@van.gov.tr

Fax : + 90 432 216 11 28

COPIES TO :

 Minister of Foreign Affairs  

Ali Babacan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Disisleri Bakanligi, 06100 Ankara, Turkey
Fax : +90 312 2878811

 

The Turkish Embassy in your country.