Source:

Frankfurter Rundschau: [ID 9225]

Source:

Neue Zürcher Zeitung: [ID 9227]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9235]

Source:

UNCHR: [ID 9237]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9238]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9239]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9240]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9243]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9245]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9246]

Source:

UNHCR: [ID 9248]

Source:

Süddeutsche Zeitung: [ID 9249]

Source:

Tageszeitung: [ID 9251]

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Pressure on Afghan migrants and refugees to return to Afghanistan ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23190]

"UNHCR reportedly complained that government authorities pressured Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan by suspending education and medical services and revoking residence permits. The government, facing a slow economy and citing national security concerns, accused many Afghans of drug and human trafficking and ethnic terrorist violence. There were some reports of forced return of persons to a country where they feared persecution. There were reports of a small number of registered refugees deported among the large scale deportation of illegal Afghan migrants that commenced in April. […]

In April the government began a major effort to deport illegal Afghan migrants. Between April and June the government reportedly deported at least 100,000 Afghans. According to HRW, many of those deported received no warning that they were being deported, and many were separated from their families or were given very little time to collect belongings and wages. Other deportees claimed they were beaten, detained, or required to perform forced labor for several days before being deported. [...] By year’s end, the government had reportedly deported over 363,000 Afghans during the year, a small number of whom were reportedly registered refugees. […]

On December 1, UNHCR estimated that there were 915,000 registered Afghan refugees in the country. […] In 2005 the government imposed regulations specific to Afghan refugees that increased fines for employers of Afghans without work permits and made it difficult for Afghans to obtain mortgages, rent, own property, and open bank accounts. At year's end the regulations remained in effect.

There was no further information available on whether the government repatriated the imprisoned Afghans to whom the judiciary granted amnesty in 2005."

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Forced returns to Afghanistan ("World Report 2008") [ID 22522]

"Iran announced in 2006 that it would “voluntarily repatriate” all of the more than one million Afghans remaining in Iran by March 2008, saying that none of those people are refugees. Between April and June 2007 the Iranian government forcibly deported back to Afghanistan nearly 100,000 registered and unregistered Afghans living and working in Iran."

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Iranian government forcibly deports nearly 100,000 Afghans back to Afghanistan ("World Report 2008") [ID 23563]

"Iran announced in 2006 that it would “voluntarily repatriate” all of the more than one million Afghans remaining in Iran by March 2008, saying that none of those people are refugees. Between April and June 2007 the Iranian government forcibly deported back to Afghanistan nearly 100,000 registered and unregistered Afghans living and working in Iran."

Document(s): Open document

08.01.2008 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

According to official figures, some 900,000 legally registered Afghan refugees and an estimated 1.5 million Afghans without legal registration are living in Iran; most refugees work in low-paying manual jobs and most children can't afford to go to school; Iran began forcibly repatriating Afghan refugees and has steadily increased pressure on refugees in a bid to drive them out ("Kabul Pleads With Tehran To Delay Refugee Expulsions") [ID 22241]

Document(s): Open document

04.01.2008 - Source: ReliefWeb

Afghanistan calls on Iran to delay decision on refugees; Iran government had threatened to expel or punish Afghan refugees living in Iran without proper documents; figures of people informed on such possible measures by Iranian government rise up to 1,500,000 ("Afghanistan calls on Iran to delay decision on refugees"), Autor: Frontier Post [ID 22162]

Document(s): Open document

13.12.2007 - Source: Médecins Sans Frontières

Annual activity report of Médecins Sans Frontières (covering mid-2006 to mid-2007) ("International Activity Report 2006/7") [ID 22252]

"[...] In April 2007, deportation of illegal Afghans by Iranian authorities resumed and 150,000 Afghans have been expelled from the country.

[...] Iranian authorities estimate that the majority of Afghans are economic migrants, and therefore not entitled to legal status or access to free healthcare. Many people are reluctant to go back and prefer to remain in Iran. Even after deportation, some Afghans decide to return to Iran. With Iranian restrictions on work, educational opportunities and health services, living conditions for refugees are difficult, but remain better than in Afghanistan.

[...] MSF closed a similar programme assisting Afghan refugees in Mashhad, Khorasan province at the end of 2006, as an epidemiological survey showed that many of these people had access to jobs and healthcare. [...] At Zahedan, capital of Seistan-Baluchistan province, close to the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan, MSF runs a programme providing medical assistance to Afghan refugees."

Document(s): Open document

05.11.2007 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

The government of Afghanistan has called on Iran to stop deporting thousands of Afghan citizens without work permits or refugee status, Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said ("Tehran expels 8,000 Afghans") [ID 21739]

Document(s): Open document

10.09.2007 - Source: Federal Government (Germany)

Deterioration of human rights situation since Mahmud Ahmadinejad assumed office in 2005 (response to parliamentary query, in German) ("Antwort der Bundesregierung auf die Kleine Anfrage der Fraktion Bündnis 90/Die Grünen - BT-Drs. 16/6336") [ID 22412]

"Die Bundesregierung hat keine eigenen belastbaren Erkenntnisse über die Anwendung von Gewalt gegen oder Todesfälle von afghanischen Flüchtlingen im Iran.

Die unabhängige afghanische Menschenrechtskommission berichtet jedoch von 3 000 Rückkehrern, die angegeben haben, vor ihrer Rückkehr nach Afghanistan von iranischen Offiziellen geschlagen worden zu sein.

Iranische Behörden seien demnach für den Tod von sechs Flüchtlingen verantwortlich. Fünf Afghanen seien an den Spätfolgen von Misshandlungen durch die iranische Polizei in afghanischen Krankenhäusern gestorben."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Iran hosts 950,000 legal, plus another one million illegal refugees from Afghanistan; authorities pressure refugees to repatriate by suspending education, medical services and revoking residence permits ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20838]

"In October at a UNHCR meeting on refugees in Geneva, Interior Minister Mostafa Purmohammadi estimated that the country hosted 950,000 legal refugees from Afghanistan, plus another one million illegal Afghan refugees. Reportedly, the UNHCR complained that governmentauthorities pressured Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan by suspending education and medical services and revoking residence permits.

On October 12, the provincial government of East Azerbaijan province announced Afghan refugees could not remain in the province and had until October 22 to present themselves to authorities for their situations to "be clarified." The government accused many Afghans of involvement in drug trafficking. According toa Western NGO, in February 2005 the country passed regulations that increased fines for employers of Afghans without work permits and imposed new restrictions to make it more difficult for Afghans to obtain mortgages, rent or own property, or open bank accounts.

The government did not impose the same restrictions on Iraqi refugees. These rules also included new restrictions on residence in certain cities and regions and lifted an earlier exemption from school fees for Afghan refugee children. UNHCR cut all education assistance to Afghans. In June the government reduced the school fees charged for Afghan students, according to a Western NGO. During the year government officials called for increased repatriation of refugees to Afghanistan."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Reports about arrests and forced deportations of Afghan refugees in 2005 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20839]

"In January 2005 the judiciary announced amnesty for imprisoned Afghans, including those on death row. Following release, these Afghans were to be repatriated; however, there was no confirmation during the year that they were repatriated.

There were reports in 2005 of Afghans being arrested and deported in the southeast of the country. Most were illegal migrants, seeking to stay in the country for economic reasons, but some had temporary residence permits. Government officials denied arresting refugees.

A June 2005 survey by a Western NGO noted that the country had deported 140,000 Afghans, including some with refugee status. At one border crossing, the government worked with UNHCR to allow deportees to claim asylum or cite other reasons why they should not be deported, but it did not set up similar facilities at other border crossings."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

195.000 Afghan and Iraqi refugee children are attending Iranian schools ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 21100]

"... [The Education Ministry] also noted the government's efforts to shelter refugees, many of whom were children. According to the report, 195,000 Afghan and Iraqi refugee children were in school, and UNHCR paid only 10 percent of the education costs. In June the government reduced the school fees charged for Afghan students, according to a Western NGO.
"

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Most refugees are Afghans ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29525],  [ID 9199]

"[...]There was no information on the policy of the Government regarding temporary protection to individuals who may not qualify as refugees under the 1951 Convention or its 1967 Protocol. The country hosted a large refugee population, mostly Afghans, as well as a significant number of Iraqis. After the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the Government sealed its border in anticipation of a war in Afghanistan and a resulting wave of refugees. The Government set up several refugee camps just inside Afghanistan to deal with the crisis. In September, UNHCR estimated that approximately 1 million refugees from Afghanistan remained in the country, with up to 1 million having returned to Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in December 2001. The Government denied UNHCR concerns that it was pressing Afghan refugees to leave. Most refugees subsisted on itinerant labor. The Government accused many Afghans of involvement in drug trafficking. [...]"

Document(s): Open document

21.01.2005 - Source: BBC News

Some Afghan refugees in Iran were denied extensions of their residence documents and access to public services, or even arrested, for having no documents; there are concerns that Iranian officials are pressurizing Afghan refugees to go home ("Iran 'forced' Afghans to go home") [#28408],  [ID 9200]

Document(s): Open document

17.01.2005 - Source: ReliefWeb

UN refugee agency accused Iran of forced repatriation of Afghan refugees and threatened with the suspension of aid for the refugees unless the authorities stopped forcing them to go home ("Iran rejects charges of forced repatriation of Afghan refugees (Xinhua)") [#28292],  [ID 9201]

Document(s): Open document

17.01.2005 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

There are concerns that Iranian authorities might be putting pressure on Afghan refugees to leave the country ("Lubbers warns against speeding up refugee returns to Afghanistan") [#28317],  [ID 9202]

Document(s): Open document

12.01.2005 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Zahedan, Zabol, Mashad, Kerman: hundreds of Afghan illegal migrants along with some legal Afghan refugees, arrested by Iranian police; they were held in a detention centre for up to 4 days and some ot them were also beaten ("UNHCR concerned over wave of refugee arrests") [#28137],  [ID 9203]

Document(s): Open document

29.12.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries continue to suffer human rights violations, including forced repatriation, cessation of their refugee status, harassment and torture by police and other authorities ("Refugees and asylum seekers subjected to human rights abuses") [#27930],  [ID 9204]

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2004 - Source:

UNHCR resumed repatriations of Afghan and Iraqi refugees from Iran following a suspension due to violence in the 2 countries ("UN resumes repatriations of Afghan, Iraqi refugees from Iran (AFP)") [#25552],  [ID 9205]

Document(s): Open document

24.08.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Convoys of returning Afghans from Iran have resumed after a temporary suspension due to insecurity around the western city of Herat ("Afghan repatriation convoys resume") [#24984],  [ID 9206]

Document(s): Open document

11.08.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

UNHCR will continue to assist Afghan refugees inside Iran, despite claims by the Iranian government that it had cut assistance to its refugee programmes ("UNHCR continues to assist Afghan refugees") [#24690],  [ID 9207]

Document(s): Open document

05.07.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Some 80 Iraqi Kurdish refugees returned to northern Iraq recently from Iran through the new Haj Omran border crossing ("Iraqi refugees use new border crossing") [#23769],  [ID 9208]

Document(s): Open document

29.06.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Report on the plight and challenges facing Afghans living in Iran ("Special on Afghan refugees") [#23626],  [ID 9209]

Document(s): Open document

19.05.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Situation of Iranian refugees from Iraq that moved to the city of Van in Turkey ("Special report on Iranian refugees from Iraq") [#22376],  [ID 9210]

Document(s): Open document

05.05.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Afghan refugees in Iran receive a new form of repatriation assistance, namely through a provision of legal aid to settle disputes before they end years of exile ("Afghan refugees to resolve disputes before leaving Iran") [#22033],  [ID 9211]

Document(s): Open document

25.03.2004 - Source: ReliefWeb

Over 40,000 Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan and Iran since the refugees repatriation program was launched on March 3 ("Over 40,000 Afghan refugees back home over three weeks: UN (Xinhua)") [#20766],  [ID 9212]

Document(s): Open document

10.03.2004 - Source: ReliefWeb

Iran´s government wants to impose tough new restrictions on nearly 1.5 million Afghans living in Iran; latest move aimed at accelerating repatriation ("Iran to strip Afghans of refugee status, promises new curbs") [#20355],  [ID 9213]

Document(s): Open document

30.01.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

A delegation from Afghanistan’s central province of Bamyan has begun a campaign in Iran to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees, saying their region is one of the nation’s safest places ("Afghans campaign in Iran to promote refugee returns to central Afghanistan") [#19565],  [ID 9214]

Document(s): Open document

21.01.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

More than 300 Afghan earthquake survivors have crossed back into Afghanistan in the second return convoy from the devastated Iranian city of Bam ("Second Bam convoy arrives in Afghanistan") [#18923],  [ID 9215]

Document(s): Open document

15.01.2004 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

More than 400 hundred Afghans who had survived the earthquake in the southwestern Iranian city of Bam, were repatriated ("Repatriation of Afghan Bam survivors continues") [#18787],  [ID 9216]

Document(s): Open document

29.12.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Thousands of Afghan refugees who lived in Bam, scene of destructive earthquake that killed an estimated 20,000 people, are repatriating to Afganistan after losing everything in the disaster ("Earthquake drives Afghan refugees home") [#18390],  [ID 9217]

Document(s): Open document

27.06.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

5,107 Afghan refugees repatriated mostly through the Dogharoun border point, Iran ("WFP Emergency Report No. 26 of 2003 (WFP)") [#13973],  [ID 9218]

Document(s): Open document

03.06.2003 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Many Afghans, facing desperate economic conditions in their own country, travel to Iran illegally ("Perilous Road to Iran") [#13571],  [ID 9219]

Document(s): Open document

08.05.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

Over 3,000 Afghan refugees return from Pakistan and Iran every day ("Press briefing by Manoel de Almeida e Silva, UNAMA Spokesman 8 May 2003 (UNAMA)") [#12644],  [ID 9220]

Document(s): Open document

08.05.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Over 400,000 Afghans already returned form Iran ("Iran: Afghan repatriation picks up") [#12614],  [ID 9221]

Document(s): Open document

26.02.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Number of Afghans who have returned to their homeland from Iran is approaching the 400,000 mark, says the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ("Iran: Afghan repatriation nears 400,000 mark") [#11063],  [ID 9222]

Document(s): Open document

12.2002 - Source: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Critical assessment of UNHCR policy of repatriation to Afghanistan; includes analysis of current situation in Pakistan and Iran ("Taking Refugees for a Ride? The politics of refugee return to Afghanistan (David Turton, Peter Marsden)") [#10858],  [ID 9223]

Document(s): Open document

27.09.2002 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

IRIN: ("Iran: Security remains key to resumption of repatriation at Milak") [#8760],  [ID 9224]

Document(s): Open document

09.08.2002 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR: ("Afghanistan Humanitarian Update No. 64") [#8581],  [ID 9226]

Document(s): Open document

02.06.2002 - Source: ReliefWeb

Xinhua: ("60,000 Afghan refugees repatriated from Iran in two months (Xinhua)") [#7280],  [ID 9229]

Document(s): Open document

21.04.2002 - Source: ReliefWeb

Agence France Presse: ("More than 11,400 Afghan refugees return home from Iran: UNHCR (AFP)") [#6602],  [ID 9230]

Document(s): Open document

03.04.2002 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR: ("Joint Programme Between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Islam, the Interim Authority of Afghanistan, and UNHCR for the Voluntary Repatriation of Afghan Refugees and Displaced Persons") [#6373],  [ID 9231]

Document(s): Open document

07.12.2001 - Source: New York Times

USCR: ("Sri Lanka Opposition Alliance Wins Election") [#4956],  [ID 9232]

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2001 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR: ("Afghanistan aktuell v. 28.11.01") [#4896],  [ID 9233]

Document(s): 1332afg.doc

20.11.2001 - Source: ReliefWeb

Agence France Presse: ("Iran reopens its border with Afghanistan: UNHCR (AFP)") [#4725],  [ID 9234]

Document(s): Open document

11.2001 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

00.11.2001 – ACCORD: Foreigners without valid visa or residence permit are subject to deportation ("7th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Berlin, 11 - 12 June 2001: Final Report - Iran") [#7661],  [ID 9236]

"In 2001, a change occurred in the position of the Iranian government towards Afghan refugees. In the follow-up to the implementation of Art. 40 which is meant to address all foreigners living in Iran, everyone who is in Iran without a valid visa or residence permit regardless of his/her national origin, is subject to deportation. At the same time, UNHCR
has been approached to begin with status determination of 2 million Afghan refugees currently estimated to reside in Iran, which is an impossible task. Otherwise they are all subject to deportation. This is still being negotiated."

Document(s): cois2001-irn.pdf

19.10.2001 - Source: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

USCR: ("USCR Welcomes Islamic Republic of Iran's Decision to Permit Afghan Refugee Camps inside Iran") [#4338],  [ID 9241]

Document(s): Open document

18.10.2001 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch: ("The Impact of the September 11 Attacks on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants in the Afghanistan Region and Worldwide") [#4322],  [ID 9242]

Document(s): Open document

12.10.2001 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

IRIN: ("Iran: Taliban to allow camps inside Afghanistan") [#4276],  [ID 9244]

Document(s): Open document

08.10.2001 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

IRIN: ("Iran: Mashhad to become key staging point in Afghan crisis") [#4241],  [ID 9247]

Document(s): Open document

15.08.2001 - Source: Refugees International

Refugees International: ("Afghan Refugees Face an Increasingly Hostile Environment in Iran") [#3532],  [ID 9250]

Document(s): 01849iran.htm
Open document

09.07.2001 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

IRIN: ("Thousands of Afghans forced out of work") [#2476],  [ID 9228]

Document(s): 00218irn.htm
Open document

26.09.2000 - Source: Amnesty International

Amnesty International: ("Iran: Are returning Afghan refugees properly protected?") [#832],  [ID 9252]

Document(s): Open document