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Action against deportations from Holland

URGENT ACTION from International Federation of Iranian Refugees, IFIR

Prevent the Dutch Government from Deporting Iranian Asylum Seekers Back to Persecution

February 12, 1999

Dear Friend,

Join the campaign against the Dutch government's inhuman treatment of Iranian asylum seekers. Support the asylum seekers' demands that the Dutch government:

1. Cancel the report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that effectively deems Iran a "safe" country;

2. Cease the deportation of Iranian asylum seekers;

3. Re-open all rejected casefiles; and,

4. Recognize the undeniable right to asylum for Iranians.

As you know, on January 22, the Dutch Council of Ministers accepted a new report on Iran from the Minister of Foreign Affairs which cites only certain categories of persons as "still running the risk of persecution."

In 1997 and 1995, similar attempts were defeated through the organized struggle of Iranian asylum seekers and their supporters. In 1997, IFIR and its Netherlands Branch organized a sit-in and mass demonstrations, and spoke before the Dutch parliament.

The Dutch government's attempt to once again negate two decades of terror and cruelty and deny any other form of persecution in the brutal Islamic Republic of Iran is outrageous - especially in light of the recent assassinations. Eager to build economic and political relations, the Dutch government has taken the racism and deception of its previous report to new heights. Now, the torture, execution, and gender-apartheid capital of the world is effectively "safe" for political opponents, workers, women, youth, and children.

It seems that in their Iran, "intellectuals, homosexuals and Baha'is" only still run the "risk" of persecution. Presumably, most of the 4,600 Iranians in central and regional "reception facilities" won't face such "risks." It was our collective efforts that forced the Dutch government to retreat in the past.

Join us to put an end to their masquerade once and for all. Support this important struggle by organizing actions and by sending protest faxes and letters to Dutch government officials and embassies in your countries of residence. The Dutch government must be reminded that it cannot play with the lives of human beings.

In Solidarity,

Maryam Namazie
International Federation of Iranian Refugees, IFIR
Deputy Director
GPO, PO Box 7051 New York, NY 10116
Tel: 212-747-1046
Fax: 212-425-7240 e-mail: ifiric@aol.com

P.S. If you do not have access to a fax or cannot fax long distance, please send your letters to IFIR at 212-425-7260 (fax) or ifiric@aol.com (e-mail) and we will forward them for you.

SAMPLE LETTER

Het Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Netherlands
via fax: (31) 70 348 4848

De Minister President W. Kok
The Netherlands
via fax: (31) 70 365 18 08

A. H. Korthals
Minister of Justice
M. J. Cohen State
Secretary of Justice
The Netherlands
via fax: (31) 70 370 79 37
//www.minjust.nl/

Stephen van Wersch
First Secretary
Netherlands Embassy
via fax: 202-364-4213
e-mail: wersch@oo.was.minbuza.nl

I am / my organization is outraged that the Dutch government has once again effectively deemed Iran "safe." The Dutch government must address the legitimate demands of Iranian asylum seekers and:

1. Cancel the new report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that effectively deems Iran a "safe" country;

2. Cease the deportation of Iranian asylum seekers;

3. Re-open all rejected casefiles; and,

4. Recognize the undeniable right to asylum for Iranians.

I / my organization await (s) your action in this life and death matter for countless individuals who have fled the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Sincerely,

Name
Address
Email

CC: IFIR, GPO, PO Box 7051, New York, NY 10116.
Tel: 212-747-1046.
Fax: 212-425-7260.
E-mail: ifiric@aol.com

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