Alarm Bells Ringing for Iranian Refugees in Turkey
In recent days, multiple reports have been received from Turkish cities regarding the detention of Iranian refugees by Turkish police.
It has been customary that whenever a refugee is found outside their designated residence city without permission, the police would arrest them or immediately transfer the person to their assigned city through a letter, or after a few days of punitive detention, transfer them accordingly. This was applied arbitrarily.
However, we are witnessing that the Turkish Migration Administration, apart from UN interviews, also conducts interviews with refugees themselves and claims the right to reject the refugee’s answers and declare the migration file rejected. In past years, if such action was taken, the individual would appeal to the city court against the Migration Administration’s decision, and the judge would either accept the ruling or issue a decision in favor of the refugee, and the refugee process would continue.
Among these, individuals who have passed UN interviews are also seen, and thus it makes no difference to the Turkish Migration Administration at what security level the refugee’s file is located.
Unfortunately, according to reports received from Turkish cities, refugees have stated that some have been arrested by Turkish police for being in another city without permission and threatened with deportation to Iran. This is while Turkish police do not even give Iranian refugees the right to choose a country to leave for, and directly deport the refugee in question to Iran.
In this regard, the United Nations in Ankara shows no interest in monitoring such conduct. They content themselves with saying that we cannot confront the Turkish government directly.
With this process, it appears full authority has been given to the Turkish Migration Administration and police to deport Iranian refugees to their country for any reason. Although no official response has yet been given by the United Nations.
It must be emphasized that serious alarm bells have been rung for Iranian refugees in Turkey, and they must be careful not to leave their city without permission, otherwise they will face serious threats of deportation to Iran.
Source: Mani Media
