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2/2009 Human Rights Situation for Minorities, Women and Converts

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2/2009 Human Rights Situation for Minorities, Women and Converts 2/2009 ENG Human Rights Situation for Minorities, Women and Converts, and Entry and Exit Procedures, ID Cards, Summons and Reporting, etc. Fact finding mission to Iran 24th August – 2nd September 2008 Copenhagen, April 2009 Danish Immigration Service Ryesgade 53 2100 Copenhagen Ø Phone: 00 45 35 36 66 00 Web: www.newtodenmark.dk E-mail: [email protected] Overview of fact-finding reports published in 2008 and 2009 Protection of victims of trafficking in Nigeria, Report from Danish Immigration Service’s fact-finding mission to Lagos, Benin City and Abuja, Nigeria, 9 – 26 September 2007 2008: 1 Protection of victims of trafficking in Ghana, Report from Danish Immigration Service’s fact-finding mission to Accra, Ghana. February 25 to March 6 2008 2008: 2 Recruitment of IT specialists from India, An investigation of the market, experiences of Danish companies, the attitude of the Indian authorities towards overseas recruitment along with the practices of other countries in this field. Report from the fact finding mission to New Delhi and Bangalore, India 4th to 14th May 2008 2008: 3 Report of Joint British-Danish Fact-Finding Mission to Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. 9 - 27 September 2007 and 5 - 12 January 2008 2008: 4 Cooperation with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP). Report from Danish Immigration Service’s fact-finding mission to Abuja, Nigeria. 14 to 24 February 2009 2009: 1 Human Rights Situation for Minorities, Women and Converts, and Entry and Exit Procedures, ID Cards, Summons and Reporting, etc. Fact finding mission to Iran 24th August – 2nd September 2008 2009: 2 Content 1. PREFACE, SOURCES AND TERMS OF REFERENCE ........................................................................ 4 1.1. Preface .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1.2 Sources ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1.3 Terms of reference ....................................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 The influential political changes that have taken place in Iran, since the last mission in 2005 ........ 6 2. KURDS ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 General information on the areas largely populated by Kurds ............................................................... 8 2.2 The human rights situation amongst Kurds in general ............................................................................ 9 2.3 Punishment for imputed political activity .................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Ways of political involvement ...................................................................................................................... 11 2.5 Iranian Kurds in Turkey ................................................................................................................................ 11 2.6 Crossing the border from Iran to Turkey ................................................................................................... 12 2.7 Deportation at the border ............................................................................................................................. 14 3. MUJAHEDIN-E KHALQ ORGANISATION (MKO) - SYMPATHISERS AND FORMER MEMBERS .................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Return to Iran of MKO sympathisers and former members ................................................................... 16 3.2 Amnesty to returnees .................................................................................................................................... 17 3.3 Prosecution/persecution of MKO sympathisers and former members ................................................ 18 3.4 Lists of MKO members who cannot return ............................................................................................... 20 4. MONARCHISTS AND SYMPATHISERS ............................................................................................ 20 5. WOMEN ................................................................................................................................................... 22 5.1 Basij – the “Morality Police” in Tehran ...................................................................................................... 22 5.1 Crackdown on immoral behaviour in the private and public sphere .................................................... 23 Human Rights Situation for Minorities, Women and Converts, and Entry and Exit Procedures, ID Cards, Summons and Reporting, etc. 5.2 Single and divorced women ......................................................................................................................... 24 5.3 Punishment for adultery ............................................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Rape ................................................................................................................................................................. 25 5.5 Shelters for women ........................................................................................................................................ 26 5.6 Honour killings ............................................................................................................................................... 26 5.7 Legal consequences of a mother leaving Iran with her child without the permission of the father 27 6. CONVERSION ......................................................................................................................................... 29 6.1 Legal basis ...................................................................................................................................................... 29 6.1.1 The inclusion of apostasy in the drafting of a new Penal Code ............................................................... 29 6.2 Punishment for conversion in practice ...................................................................................................... 30 6.3 Burden of proof for conversion ................................................................................................................... 31 6.4 Recent cases of punishment ....................................................................................................................... 31 6.5 Possibilities of conversion ........................................................................................................................... 32 6.5.1 Converting in Iran ............................................................................................................................................ 32 6.5.2 House churches ............................................................................................................................................... 33 6.5.3 Online conversion ............................................................................................................................................ 33 6.5.4 Sur place conversion ...................................................................................................................................... 34 6.6 Conversion from Shia Islam to Sunni Islam .............................................................................................. 34 6.7 Proselytising (missionary acts) ................................................................................................................... 34 7. EXITING AND ENTERING IRAN ........................................................................................................ 35 7.1 Legal exit ......................................................................................................................................................... 35 7.2 Revoking of permission to leave Iran ......................................................................................................... 35 7.3 Prohibition to leave Iran ................................................................................................................................ 35 7.4 Illegal exit ........................................................................................................................................................ 36 7.5 The use of bribery and forged documents when exiting Iran ................................................................ 37 7.5.1 Bribery ............................................................................................................................................................... 37 7.5.2 Forged documents .......................................................................................................................................... 37 7.6 Issuing of travel documents at Iranian representations abroad ........................................................... 37 7.7 Entering Iran ................................................................................................................................................... 38 7.8 Forced return
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