Norway: Deportations of Iraqi Kurdish asylum-seekers must be stopped!

International Federation of Iraqi Refugees has been informed that a number of Kurdish asylum seekers have been arrested and are being held in Trandum detention centre, close to Oslo Airport.

 Many of the Asylum seekers held in detention centre have wives’, family and relatives in Norway.  They are being threatened with deportation in violation of international law including the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which Norway has ratified. The Geneva Convention prohibits states from returning anyone to a country where they would be at real risk of persecution or other serious human rights violations or abuses, or to a country where they would not be protected against such return.

 Dana Omer asylum held in Trandum detention centre said” I came to Norway in 2008 with my mum.  My father has refugee status.  All my family and everyone I know is living in Norway.  I do not want to be separated from my family”

 Qudar Erfan another Kurdish asylum seeker said” I have a Norwegian wife. We are very much in love but they want to separate us and send me back by force to Iraq”

  Iraq and Kurdistan where Dana and Quder are from is currently under attack from the terrorist barbaric forces of ISIS.  Iraq is at war again will be returned to war zone.  ISIS has taken control of a large number of cities and villages across Iraq. 

 Dashty Jamal Secretary of the IFIR said

”We are strongly against the arrest and imprisonment of the Kurdish Iraqi’s by the Norwegian Authorities. The Norwegian government should grant all asylum-seekers access to a fair, effective and transparent asylum proceedings, outside of detention”

Dashty also said” 

We ask that the Norwegian Government immediately release the Iraqi’s from detention and grant them all full refugee status”

 IFIR believes Anyone who may face detention, arrest or persecution if returned to her/his country of origin because of choices within her/his private life, or if an asylum  seeker joins a political party and takes part in political activities that would endanger them if returned to their home country must be granted refugee status.

IFIR believes that deportation is inhuman and a violation of an individual’s fundamental human rights, especially the right to seek and receive protection. Deportations legitimise force and institutionalise brutality against asylum seekers.

Those at risk of deportation include people severely traumatised by war. Deportation destroys families, relationships and personal lives, disrupts people’s education and life prospects, and can lead to depression, self-harm and, in some cases, suicide. 

 IFIR asks all human rights and refugee rights organisations and trade union branches to send letters to the Norwegian Government demanding they stop these deportations immediately and release all those held in detention and respect refugee rights.

 

International Federation of Iraqi Refugees-IFIR