Stop deportation of two million Afghan Refugees from Iran

To:  UNHCR and the Islamic Republic of Iran 's government

Stop deportation of two million Afghan Refugees from Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran is going to forcible deportation of 2 million afghan refugees from Iran. Iranian General of foreign nationals and immigrants of the ministry, Lari pointed out that the coming Iranian year (to start March 20) would be the deadline for the presence of Afghan refugees in Iran and those Afghan people who wish to stay in Iran should go through all legal procedures. The plan for the repatriation of the Afghan refugees will go into effect beginning April 3.

There have been recent reports that the Iranian government's Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) is to impose further restrictions on Afghans who still living in the country. That is including the civil and administrative facilities of the Afghan refugees which will be curtailed in the new Iranian year (started 20 March 2004) concurrent with increase in the cost of training, educational and health benefits that Afghan refugees receive from the state, and their work permits will be withdraw.

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, 400,000 Afghan refugees in Iran have opted to return to Afghanistan. The arrest and deportation of Afghan refugees in Iran continues. More than 26,000 Afghan refugees have forcibly deported from Iran this year. The Iranian regime has used every possible means to isolate, exploit and suppress the refugees.

Deportation of the refugees is part of this brutal act. Afghan refugees in Iran live in substandard conditions; they work long hours receiving meagre wages. They face racism, mistreatment and abuse at the hands of the Iranian authorities. They are arrested and deported back to Afghanistan to face the inhumanity, rightness drought, misery and hunger.

We the undersigned:

Condemn the Islamic regime’s continued violations of Afghan refugee rights to remain and protection in Iran. All Afghan refugees must be granted the indefinite right to live and work in Iran.

We also condemn UNHCR co-operation with Islamic republic of Iran on Deportation of 1/5 million Afghan refugees from Iran, and withdraw their basic and human rights.

We demand immediate stop deportation of Afghan refugees from Iran, and granted them to indefinite rights to live and work in Iran.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Stop deportation of two million Afghan Refugees from Iran Petition to UNHCR and the Islamic Republic of Iran 's government was created by and written by Farshad Hoseini from IFIR.  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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