Dokument #1186746
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
Information on this subject is available in
the attached documents.
The following information was provided
during a 22 January 1997 telephone interview with a specialist in
Iranian affairs at George Masson University at Fairfax,
Virginia.
The source stated that while Dr. Soroush
did not teach any formal university courses in 1995-1996, he
occasionally lectured at university campuses. The source indicated
that Dr. Soroush regularly spoke at a mosque in Tehran, but could
not specify the name or location of the mosque. The Iranian
authorities eventually able to persuaded the mosque officials to
stop Dr. Soroush's lectures, but he was allowed to continue them at
a mosque outside Tehran. The source added that because of the
distance to the new mosque, people had to use cars in order to
attend Dr. Soroush's lectures. Dr. Soroush currently an edits a
monthly literary journal called Kiyan (not to be confused
with the newspaper Keyan International). Kiyan
publishes articles in social political and religious affairs, as
well as literary information.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Specialist on Iranian affairs, George
Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. 22 January 1997. Telephone
interview.
Attachments
APS Diplomat Recorder. 28
October 1995. "Demonstration Against Hardliners." (NEXIS)
Middle East Economic Digest
(MEED). 10 November 1995. Vahe Petrossian. "Iran: Waiting for the
Big Debate." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 12 October 1995. BC Cycle.
"Iran Militants Disrupt Islamic Reformist's Speech." (NEXIS)
Voice of Israel External Service
(Jerusalem, in Persian(. 12 October 1995. "Iranian Philosopher's
Speech at Tehran University Disrupted." (BBC Summary 14 Oct. 1995)
(NEXIS)