Kurdish woman 5 months pregnant held at Zurich Airport 

25 November 2019

IFIR Press Release  

International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR) was informed by Mr Karwan that he and his pregnant wife and two children (who are only three and one years old) have been held in Zurich airport since the 12 October 2019.  Mr Karwan is very unwell and has cancer.

Mr Karwan said his family was forced to leave Iraq following threats to his life.  The family home was burnt down and he was beaten up and shot at with live ammunition.  The family also received threats that their children would be taken from them.

Dashty Jamal Secretary of International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR): said “We call on the Swiss authorities to immediately release the family and accept their claim for asylum. 

Holding the family at the airport in this way contravenes the Geneva Convention.  Anybody who is forced to run away from violence should be given suitable accommodation to live in whilst their case for asylum is properly investigated and considered.

We call on all freedom loving people to write to the Swiss authorities calling for the immediate release of this family:

Address: State Secretariat for Migration SEM, Quellenweg, 6 Wabern

Fax:  +41 58 465 93 79

Email: helpline@eda.admin.ch