14 July 2004

Nazila’s Life is in Great Danger!
Help us to save her life


According to the latest news from IFIR’s branch in Turkey, Nazila Mohamad Hasani Zamani’s life is in serious danger and she is threatened to be deported back to Iran by the Turkish Government. She was told by the Turkish police that the Iranian embassy has asked the Turkish police to hand Nazila over to them.

Nazila is a women’s rights and refugee rights activist who has fled Iran in fear of persecution by the Islamic regime of Iran. She has continued to expose the Islamic regime of Iran and its misogynist laws.She is a well-known among the progressive and women’s rights organizations in Turkey as an advocate of human rights. She was previously arrested several times by the Turkish police because of her protests in front of the office of the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ankara. On 8th July 2004 she was arrested by the Turkish police in a demonstration in front of the Iranian embassy in Ankara. Later she was released but since her release she has been threaten to be send back to Iran by the Turkish police several times. If Nazila is deported back to Iran, she will be facing torture and execution.

Despite the great danger that Nazila is facing, UNHCR still has not taken any steps to re-open Nazila’s case file and grant her refugee status. UNHCR is accountable for Nazila's life.

We urge UNHCR to grant Nazila asylum and transfer her to a safe country immediately. We call upon all freedom-loving people and organisations to send letters of support for Nazila to UNHCR and urge them to take action. Nazila’s life can only be saved by an international pressure on the UNHCR.


Recommended actions:

Write to UNHCR and urge them to offer Nazila protection and grant her recognition as refugee. Please send your letters to the UNHCR Geneva as well as the UNHCR office in Turkey.

Please send a copy of your letters to our organization as well. A sample letter is provided for your covenience.


UNHCR Turkey – Ankara
Address: Sancak Mah., 12. Cadde 212 Sokak No.3
06550 Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey
E-mail:
 behr@unher.ch
 turan@unhcr.ch
 corabati@unhcr.ch

Tel: +90 312-4411696
Fax: +90 312-4412173

Cc: UNHCR Geneva
Address: UNHCR, HQPRO 2, Case Postal 2500
CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot
Switzerland
Fax: +41-22-739-7353
E-mail:  Hqpr00@Unhcr.Ch

Cc:  ifirwomen@yahoo.com



To Whom It May Concern:

I / My Organization am / is writing to express my strongest concern over the life of Nazila Mohamad Hasani Zamani (Case No: M-7217).

I / My organization urge(s) UNHCR to grant Nazila refugee recognition and transfer her to a safe country immediately.


Signature
Name
Organization


Cc: UNHCR Geneva
IFIR-Refugee Women’ Project