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On Conversion to Christianity, Issues Concerning Kurds and Post-2009 Election Protestors As Well As Legal Issues and Exit Procedures
2/2013 ENG Iran On Conversion to Christianity, Issues concerning Kurds and Post-2009 Election Protestors as well as Legal Issues and Exit Procedures Joint report from the Danish Immigration Service, the Norwegian LANDINFO and Danish Refugee Council’s fact-finding mission to Tehran, Iran, Ankara, Turkey and London, United Kingdom 9 November to 20 November 2012 and 8 January to 9 January 2013 Copenhagen, February 2013 Danish Refugee Council LANDINFO Danish Immigration Service Borgergade 10, 3rd floor Storgata 33a, PB 8108 Dep. Ryesgade 53 1300 Copenhagen K 0032 Oslo 2100 Copenhagen Ø Phone: 00 45 33 73 50 00 Phone: +47 23 30 94 70 Phone: 00 45 35 36 66 00 Web: www.drc.dk Web: www.landinfo.no Web: www.newtodenmark.dk E-mail:[email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Overview of Danish fact finding reports published in 2012 and 2013 Update (2) On Entry Procedures At Kurdistan Regional Government Checkpoints (Krg); Residence Procedures In Kurdistan Region Of Iraq (Kri) And Arrival Procedures At Erbil And Suleimaniyah Airports (For Iraqis Travelling From Non-Kri Areas Of Iraq), Joint Report of the Danish Immigration Service/UK Border Agency Fact Finding Mission to Erbil and Dahuk, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), conducted 11 to 22 November 2011 2012: 1 Security and human rights issues in South-Central Somalia, including Mogadishu, Report from Danish Immigration Service’s fact finding mission to Nairobi, Kenya and Mogadishu, Somalia, 30 January to 19 February 2012 2012: 2 Afghanistan, Country of Origin Information for Use in the -
2004 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor February 28, 2005
Iran Page 1 of 20 Iran Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor February 28, 2005 The Islamic Republic of Iran [note 1] is a constitutional, theocratic republic in which Shi'a Muslim clergy dominate the key power structures. Article Four of the Constitution states that "All laws and regulations…shall be based on Islamic principles." Government legitimacy is based on the twin pillars of popular sovereignty (Article Six) and the rule of the Supreme Jurisconsulate (Article Five). The unelected Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i, dominates a tricameral division of power among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Khamene'i directly controls the armed forces and exercises indirect control over the internal security forces, the judiciary, and other key institutions. The executive branch was headed by President Mohammad Khatami, who won a second 4-year term in June 2001, with 77 percent of the popular vote in a multiparty election. The legislative branch featured a popularly elected 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly, Majlis, which develops and passes legislation, and an unelected 12-member Council of Guardians, which reviews all legislation passed by the Majlis for adherence to Islamic and constitutional principles and also has the duty of screening Majlis candidates for eligibility. Conservative candidates won a majority of seats in the February Seventh Majlis election that was widely perceived as neither free nor fair, due to the Council of Guardians' exclusion of thousands of qualified candidates. The 34-member Expediency Council is empowered to resolve legislative impasses between the Council of Guardians and the Majlis. -
Lenten Devotions, March 27
Faithful unto Death: The Testimony of Iranian Martyrs Amir Montazami, his wife Fereshteh Dibaj, and their daughter Christine (Photo courtesy, Elam Ministries, 2006) Yesterday I shared the story of Iranian Christian martyr Bishop Haik Hovsepian Mehr. I also mentioned the friend for whom he, a persecuted Christian himself, became an advocate: Mehdi Dibaj. Today I want to tell you more about Pastor Dibaj himself and his legacy. Those of us in the West, who worship in freedom, can hardly imagine what it is like to have one after another of your church leaders disappear and be murdered. But this is what happened in Iran. Christians in Nigeria, Pakistan, India, China, and elsewhere can relate to what the Church in Iran went through and still experiences. When Bishop Haik spoke up for Dibaj, the pastor had already been under death sentence for apostasy in prison for over nine years. As I revealed yesterday, Haik’s public intercession and advocacy for Dibaj resulted in both Dibaj’s release from imminent execution and Haik’s murder. Dibaj was with his family that had waited for him for so long. Then on June 24, he disappeared on his way home from a Christian retreat in Karaj, a little northwest of Tehran. He was expected in time for his daughter Fereshteh’s sixteenth birthday party, but never showed up. Iranian Christians were still reeling from Dibaj’s disappearance when another church leader, the Reverend Tateos Michaelian, was abducted on June 29. Michaelian, senior pastor of St. John Armenian Evangelical Church (Presbyterian Church of Iran), had taken over as president of the Council of Evangelical Ministers when Haik was murdered. -
Economic and Social Council
UNITED NATIONS E Economic and Social Distr. GENERAL Council E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.2 9 February 1996 ENGLISH Original: FRENCH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-second session Item 18 of the provisional agenda IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF INTOLERANCE AND OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF Report submitted by Mr. Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur, in accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/23 Addendum Visit by the Special Rapporteur to the Islamic Republic of Iran CONTENTS Paragraphs Page Introduction ...................... 1-4 3 I. LEGISLATION IN THE FIELD OF TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF ................ 5-22 3 A. Constitutional provisions and concerns of the Special Rapporteur .......... 5-20 3 1. Islamic criteria provided for by the Iranian Constitution ....... 5-6 3 2. Official religion ............ 7-9 4 3. Situation of minorities ......... 10-20 4 B. Other legal provisions and concerns of the Special Rapporteur - Conversion ..... 21-22 6 GE.96-10630 (E) E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.2 page 2 CONTENTS (continued) Paragraphs Page II. IMPLEMENTATION OF LEGISLATION AND POLICY IN THE FIELD OF TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF ............... 23-85 7 A. Situation of recognized religious minorities .................. 23-53 7 1. Non-Muslim minorities .......... 25-46 7 2. Sunni Muslim minority .......... 47-53 11 B. Situation of other non-Muslim minorities . 54 - 85 12 1. Situation of the Baha’is ........ 55-70 13 2. Situation of the Protestants ...... 71-85 17 III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......... 86-118 20 E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.2 page 3 Introduction 1. -
Christen Und Christinnen Im Iran
Christen und Christinnen im Iran Themenpapier Florian Lüthy 18 . Oktober 2005 Angaben zum Autor: Florian Lüthy ist Historiker mit dem Schwerpunkt Neuzeit. Er ist schon seit mehreren Jahren im Menschenrechtsbereich tätig und arbeitete bei verschi edenen s chweizerischen NGO. Von April bis September 2005 absolvierte Floria n Lüthy ein Berufspraktikum bei der Länderanal y- se der Schweizerischen Flüchtlingshilfe (SFH). Impressum HERAUSGEBERIN Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe SFH Postfach 8154, 3001 Bern Tel. 031 / 370 75 75 Fax 031 / 370 75 00 E-Mail: INFO@ osar.ch Internet: www.osar.ch PC -Konto: 30 -1085 -7 AUTOR Florian Lüthy SPRACHVERSIONEN deutsch, französisch PREIS Fr. 2 0. -- inkl. 2,4 Prozent MWSt., zuzgl. Versan dkosten COPYRIGHT © 20 05 Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe, Bern Kopieren und Abdruck unter Quellenangabe e rlaubt. Inhaltsverzeichnis Einleitung ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 4 1 Rec htliche Stellung von Nicht -Muslimen in Iran ................................ ........ 5 1.1 Bestimmungen gemäss Verfassung ................................ ...................... 5 1.2 Bestimmungen gemäss Strafgesetzbuch ................................ ............... 6 1.3 Bestimmungen gemäss Zivilgesetzbuch ................................ ................ 7 2 Angehörige traditioneller Kirchen ................................ .............................. 7 2.1 Armenische Christen ................................ ................................ ........... -
IRAN Executive Summary the Constitution and Other Laws And
IRAN Executive Summary The constitution and other laws and policies do not protect religious freedom and in practice, the government severely restricted religious freedom. The government’s respect for and protection of the right to religious freedom continued to deteriorate. Reports of government imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination based on religious beliefs continued during the year. The constitution states that Ja’afari (Twelver) Shia Islam is the official state religion. It provides that “other Islamic denominations are to be accorded full respect” and officially recognizes only three non-Islamic religious groups--Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews--as religious minorities. These three religions are allowed to practice freely under the constitution as long as their members do not proselytize; however, Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani remained jailed and sentenced to death for practicing his faith. While not discussed in the constitution, the government considers Baha’is to be apostates and defines the Baha’i Faith as a political “sect.” The government prohibits Baha’is from teaching and practicing their faith and subjects them to many forms of discrimination that followers of other religions do not face. Government rhetoric and actions created a threatening atmosphere for nearly all non-Shia religious groups, most notably for Baha’is, as well as for Sufi Muslims, evangelical Christians, Jews, and Shia groups that did not share the government’s official religious views. Baha’i and Christian groups reported arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and confiscation of property. During the year, government- controlled broadcast and print media intensified negative campaigns against religious minorities, particularly Baha’is. All religious minorities suffered varying degrees of officially sanctioned discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment, education, and housing. -
Background Paper on Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Iran
NATIONS UNIES UNITED NATIONS HAUT COMMISSARIAT HIGH COMMISSIONER POUR LES REFUGIES FOR REFUGEES BACKGROUND PAPER ON REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM IRAN UNHCR CENTRE FOR DOCUMENTATION ON REFUGEES GENEVA, OCTOBER 1995 THIS INFORMATION PAPER WAS PREPARED IN THE COUNTRY INFORMATION UNIT OF THE CENTRE FOR DOCUMENTATION ON REFUGEES ON THE BASIS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION, ANALYSIS AND COMMENT, AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNHCR STATISTICS UNIT. ALL SOURCES ARE CITED. THIS PAPER IS NOT, AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE, FULLY EXHAUSTIVE WITH REGARD TO CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRY SURVEYED, OR CONCLUSIVE AS TO THE MERITS OF ANY PARTICULAR CLAIM TO REFUGEE STATUS OR ASYLUM. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Asylum Seekers in Europe 3 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Overall Trends in Asylum Applications 3 1.3 Trends in Convention Status Recognition 4 1.4 Trends in Non-Convention Recognitions 4 1.5 Iranian Refugees and Asylum Seekers 4 1.6 Trends in Iranian Convention Status Recognitions 5 1.7 Trends in Iranians Allowed to Remain for Humanitarian Reasons 5 2. Iranians in Neighboring Countries 6 3. Internal Situation in Iran 6 3.1 Recent Developments 6 3.2 Iranian Security Forces 8 3.3 Political Parties 10 4. Human Rights Concerns 13 4.1 International and National Legal Framework 13 4.2 General Respect for Human Rights 14 4.3 The Situation of Ethnic Minorities 18 4.4 The Situation of Religious Minorities 21 4.5 The Situation of Women 25 Bibliography 27 2 1. REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS IN EUROPE 1.1 Introduction This section provides a statistical overview of refugees and asylum-seekers in Western Europe1 in general and of refugees and asylum-seekers from Iran in particular. -
17 December 2007)
071543239 [2007] RRTA 335 (17 December 2007) DECISION RECORD RRT CASE NUMBER: 071543239 COUNTRY OF REFERENCE: Iran TRIBUNAL MEMBER: Wendy Boddison DATE DECISION SIGNED: 17 December 2007 PLACE OF DECISION: Melbourne DECISION: The Tribunal remits the matter for reconsideration with the direction that the applicant satisfies s.36(2)(a) of the Migration Act, being a person to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention. STATEMENT OF DECISION AND REASONS APPLICATION FOR REVIEW This is an application for review of a decision made by a delegate of the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship to refuse to grant the applicant a Protection (Class XA) visa under s.65 of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act). The applicant, who claims to be a citizen of Iran, arrived in Australia and applied to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for a Protection (Class XA) visa. The delegate decided to refuse to grant the visa and notified the applicant of the decision and his review rights by letter. The delegate refused the visa application on the basis that the applicant is not a person to whom Australia has protection obligations under the Refugees Convention. The applicant applied to the Tribunal for review of the delegate’s decision. The Tribunal finds that the delegate’s decision is an RRT-reviewable decision under s.411(1)(c) of the Act. The Tribunal finds that the applicant has made a valid application for review under s.412 of the Act. RELEVANT LAW Under s.65(1) a visa may be granted only if the decision maker is satisfied that the prescribed criteria for the visa have been satisfied. -
Religious Persecution in the Middle East; Faces of the Persecuted
S. HRG. 105±352 RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST; FACES OF THE PERSECUTED HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NEAR EASTERN AND SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION May 1 and June 10, 1997 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 40±890 CC WASHINGTON : 1998 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS JESSE HELMS, North Carolina, Chairman RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., Delaware PAUL COVERDELL, Georgia PAUL S. SARBANES, Maryland CHUCK HAGEL, Nebraska CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming CHARLES S. ROBB, Virginia ROD GRAMS, Minnesota RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California BILL FRIST, Tennessee PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas JAMES W. NANCE, Staff Director EDWIN K. HALL, Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON NEAR EASTERN AND SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas, Chairman GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon CHARLES S. ROBB, Virginia ROD GRAMS, Minnesota DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California JESSE HELMS, North Carolina PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri PAUL S. SARBANES, Maryland 2 CONTENTS Page RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN THE MIDDLE EASTÐTHURSDAY, MAY 1, 1997 Coffey, Steven J., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor ........................................................... 15 Phares, Dr. Walid, Professor of International -
Read Excerpt
“Credibly documents what appears in Iran to be the greatest response to Christ among Muslims ever known in history! “From an analysis of recent political history and the efficacy of house churches, one can now understand why so many Iranians have bowed their knee to the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Greg Livingstone, founder of Frontiers mission agency and author of You’ve Got Libya “When I want to understand what is happening behind the opaque walls surrounding modern-day Iran, I always turn to Mark Bradley. Mark’s lucid writing and extraordinary research provide the reader with an unforgettable experience of seeing what God is doing and how He is at work giving birth to His kingdom today inside the Islamic Republic of Iran. I highly recommend to any follower of Jesus Christ, Mark’s latest book: Too Many to Jail.” – David Garrison, author, A Wind in the House of Islam “We have worked with Elam for many years. We feel privileged to have personal connection with some of those whose stories Mark tells, and count them our friends. It is a privilege to endorse this book.” – Stuart and Jill Briscoe “Without exception history proves that persecution always provides fertile soil for the growth of His church through the Gospel. Read and see this truth delineated in the story of Iran.” – Pastor Johnny Hunt, former President, Southern Baptist Convention “A precise, honest and informative account of ordeals of a growing (Muslim-background) Christian population inside Iran. This affirming message of perseverance, hope and faith will excite and challenge the reader… a must read.” – Dr. -
Can Religious Pluralism Survive?
THE PLIGHT OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES: CAN RELIGIOUS PLURALISM SURVIVE? HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JUNE 30, 2006 Serial No. 109–202 Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international—relations U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 28–430PDF WASHINGTON : 2006 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Mar 21 2002 16:45 Oct 11, 2006 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 F:\WORK\AGI\063006\28430.000 HINTREL1 PsN: SHIRL COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois, Chairman JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa TOM LANTOS, California CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, HOWARD L. BERMAN, California Vice Chairman GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York DAN BURTON, Indiana ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American ELTON GALLEGLY, California Samoa ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey DANA ROHRABACHER, California SHERROD BROWN, Ohio EDWARD R. ROYCE, California BRAD SHERMAN, California PETER T. KING, New York ROBERT WEXLER, Florida STEVE CHABOT, Ohio ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts RON PAUL, Texas GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York DARRELL ISSA, California BARBARA LEE, California JEFF FLAKE, Arizona JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia EARL BLUMENAUER, Oregon MARK GREEN, Wisconsin SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada JERRY WELLER, Illinois GRACE F. -
Rapporten «Tro, Håp Og Forfølgelse II» Viktige Og Velbegrunnede Innspill Til En Tryggere Og Mer Kvalifisert Behandling Av Konvertittsaker
Har kristne konvertitter fra Iran behov for beskyttelse? Tro, håp og forfølgelse II Ny, utvidet og oppdatert rapport. Tro, håp og forfølgelse II Har kristne konvertitter fra Iran behov for beskyttelse? Ny, utvidet og oppdatert rapport. DEN NORSKE KIRKE DEN NORSKE KIRKE Det aktuelle Bispemøtetmenighetsråd/fellesråd Det aktuelleMellomkirkelig menighetsråd/fellesråd råd Innhold FORORD............................................................................................................................................7 KART OVER IRAN............................................................................................................................8 AKRONYMER...................................................................................................................................9 SAMMENDRAG...............................................................................................................................10 1 INNLEDNING......................................................................................................................13 2 INTERNASJONALT LOVVERK OG NORSKE FORPLIKTELSER.....................................15 2.1 Religionsfrihet...............................................................................................................16 2.2 Retten til religionsfrihet...............................................................................................17 2.3 Retten til religionsutøvelse...........................................................................................18 2.4 Begrensning