a-5248 (ACC-IRN-5248)
In den ACCORD derzeit zur Verfügung stehenden Materialien konnten keine Informationen darüber gefunden werden, ob 1994 alle Afghanen, die sich im Iran als Flüchtlinge aufgehalten haben, einen Flüchtlingsausweis bekommen haben. Anbei haben wir jedoch Auszüge aus mehreren Berichten angeführt, die die Dokumentation von afghanischen Flüchtlingen im Iran in der ersten Hälfte der 1990er Jahre beschreiben:
“8. Refugees in Iran
Early in 1994, the governor of Iran's Khorasan province where a significant proportion of Afghan refugees live, was reported to have announced a detailed plan for the return to Afghanistan of Afghan refugees. He had also reportedly expressed concern about the status of some Afghan children whose parents had not properly registered their marriages. However, the Iranian authorities stated in October 1994 that no plan for involuntary repatriation of Afghan refugees was being pursued. They further explained that there are three categories of Afghan refugees in Iran:
1. Afghan refugees with permanent residence permits who have registered their marriages and whose children have identity cards. They number about 1,270,000 and can stay in Iran with no restrictions.
2. Afghans with temporary residence permits who have not obtained appropriate registration documents and whose children have no identity cards. If they wish to stay in Iran they have the opportunity to apply for, and obtain, permanent residence permits. If they choose not to obtain such documents, they would have to leave Iran. The number of Afghans with such temporary residence permits is about 560,000.
3. The third category are those who have no residence permit at all because they have not applied for either temporary or permanent permits. If they apply to the authorities, they would get temporary residence permits which would allow them to stay in Iran. Their number is 50-60,000.”
“The fourth major movement of Afghans to Iran occurred in response to the repressive rule of Taliban militants, and fighting between Taliban and opposition groups between 1994 and 2001.” (S. 16)
“From 1979–92, most Afghans entering Iran were issued with “blue cards” which indicated their status as involuntary migrants or mohajerin. Blue card holders were granted indefinite permission to stay in Iran legally. Until 1995, blue card holders had access to subsidised health care and food, and free primary and secondary education, but were barred from owning their own businesses or working as street vendors, and their employment was limited to low-wage, manual labour.
As a result of domestic economic and social concerns in the 1990s, refugee policy shifted to emphasise prevention of illegal entry and repatriation of Afghan refugees. Since the 1990s, Iran has:
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made repeated efforts (often in collaboration with UNHCR) to document and register Afghans in Iran in preparation for repatriation;
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implemented several deportation campaigns;
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incrementally reduced services to Afghans (particularly education and medical); and
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legislated employment restrictions (most notably Article 48 in 2000).” (S. 21)
“In 1993, the Iranian government issued over 500,000 temporary registration cards to undocumented and newly arrived Afghans. During 1993, about 600,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan – over 300,000 of them under the repatriation program. The government extended the issuing of cards several times, but eventually declared them invalid in 1996.” (S. 21)
“Some Afghans, who fled Afghanistan during the 1980s, received a "green card", a refugee identification document that enables them to stay in Iran legally (although duration of the stay is not specified). These refugees are entitled to subsidized health care and free primary and secondary education. Until a downturn in the Iranian economy in 1995, these documented refugees also received food subsidies. This card does not entitle the refugee to legally work in Iran.
The country faced another big influx of refugees between 1992 and 1994. However, no permanent documents were issued. The government finally reached an agreement with UNHCR in order to issue 500,000 temporary cards for Afghans. These cards were renewed several times. The last time they were renewed was August 1996.”
“In the early 1990s, after the Soviet Union finally withdrew from Afghanistan, the government expected many Afghan refugees would return home. With shifting domestic, economic, and social concerns such as unemployment, Iranian law enforcement began to harass refugees, signaling a shift of Iran's refugee policy from one of reception and integration to more active intervention to prevent inflow and encourage repatriation.
Since then, Iran has made repeated efforts to document and register Afghans in Iran in preparation for repatriation, implemented several deportation campaigns, incrementally reduced services to Afghans (particularly education and medical), and legislated employment restrictions.
Since Afghans were not going home on their own, in December 1992 the Iranian government signed a three-year repatriation agreement with the government of Afghanistan and UNHCR to actively encourage return. Iran issued temporary registration cards to undocumented or newly arriving Afghan refugees, which granted them temporary legal status but also effectively placed them on a fast-track for repatriation.
Throughout much of 1993, about 600,000 Afghans returned from Iran, over 300,000 of them under the assisted repatriation program. However, with a civil war taking place in Afghanistan (1992-1996), assisted repatriation from Iran effectively came to a halt. By 1994, Iran was receiving new flows of both Afghan refugees and economic migrants.“
“Most Afghan refugees have been integrated into the general populace, and have become economically self-sufficient, albeit at marginal levels. Only a small minority, about 21,800 persons, were living in refugee camps during the year, and they received minimal international assistance.
Afghan refugees in Iran fall into at least four different categories. The government has not provided figures indicating the particular status of the 1.4 Afghan refugees living in Iran.
Those who are recognized as refugees, who fled Afghanistan during the 1980s, receive a “green card,” a refugee identification document that enables them to stay legally (although the duration of the stay is not specified, and could be revoked at any time). A green card holder is entitled to subsidized health care and free primary and secondary education. Until a downturn in the Iranian economy in 1995, green cards holders also received food subsidies. Since the withdrawal of food subsidies, their economic conditions have worsened. Green card holders are eligible for repatriation assistance.
In 1993, the Iranian authorities began issuing temporary registration documents to undocumented Afghans as a means of registering them for repatriation. About 549,000 Afghans, persons who entered in the 1990s, were issued temporary registration documents, giving them temporary legal status, but putting them on a track for repatriation. Between 1993 and 1995, the majority did, in fact, repatriate, but the uncertainty about conditions in Afghanistan caused many temporary registration document holders to remain longer than anticipated.
The government periodically announces dates when the validity of these documents expires. Because the authorities sometimes wait until after the expiration date to announce a renewal of the documents’ validity, Afghans holding temporary registration documents have had a somewhat precarious legal status. Many of them have fled fighting in and around Kabul and Herat and would have strong refugee claims, but are not able to register as such. Therefore, they remain at risk (and fearful) of deportation, their children are not able to go to school, it is difficult for them to find work, they are not entitled to medical services, and their existence is quite marginalized.
An even more temporary document is the laissezpasser, which must be renewed individually each month. This has the advantage for the Afghan refugee of enabling the Afghan document holder to travel freely within Iran, but has the disadvantage of limited duration, enabling the government to withdraw legal recognition quickly.
Some Afghans hold employment identity cards, which predicate the right to residence on holding a job. Work authorization cards do not bear an expiration date.
Finally, there remains in Iran a population of undocumented Afghans, who may or may not be refugees, who travel back and forth across the border depending on circumstances, economic or political, on either side.”
Diese Informationen beruhen auf einer zeitlich begrenzten Recherche in öffentlich zugänglichen Dokumenten, die ACCORD derzeit zur Verfügung stehen. Diese Antwort stellt keine Meinung zum Inhalt eines bestimmten Ansuchens um Asyl oder anderen internationalen Schutz dar. Wir empfehlen, die verwendeten Materialien zur Gänze durchzusehen.
