International Coalition for the Rights of Iranian Refugees

To Rana Ksaifi and Iraj Imomberdiev at UNHCR in Iraq (Erbil)

Regarding Saadi Mahmoud Mohammad Alipanah, UNHCR Registration No: 463-06C07507

April 22, 2011

We are writing to object to UNHCR's refusal to find a permanent solution for Iranian asylum-seeker
Saadi Mahmoud Mohammad Alipanah and his family. Mr. Alipanah reports that despite many months
of waiting, a number of fruitless interviews with UNHCR staff, and the subjection of he and his children
to inhumane and degrading treatment by UNHCR staff, he still has not been given any decision about his
asylum status.

As a member of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (Reg no: 0621180), which opposes the current
regime in Iran, and as someone who has reported threats against him by the Intelligence Ministry of the
Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Alipanah has well-established grounds for obtaining refugee status.

His demand is to be resettled in any safe third country where it is possible for his family to live in safety
and out of reach of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As refugees, Mr. Alipanah and his family have the right
under international law to asylum and protection, and they may not be refouled to Iran for any reason.
Yet UNHCR's dysfunctional operations in Iraq leave Mr. Alipanah without any form of asylum or
protection, and leave him exposed to refoulement to the Islamic Republic, where he is under threat.
This is a clear abrogation of Mr. Alipanah's rights under the law.

We are aware that the UNHCR offices in Iraq are not functioning. However, as long as UNHCR continues
to give the impression that it is functioning in Iraq, it must take responsibility for its decisionmaking (or
lack thereof) in this and other cases. We continue to demand that the rights of refugees be upheld and
we support the application of Mr. Alipanah and his family for asylum in a safe third country.

Regards,
Maria Rohaly
Representative,
International Coalition for the Rights of Iranian Refugees
phone: +1.202.630.0385

cc: Inspector General’s Office, UNHCR, Geneva

Members of the International Coalition for the Rights of Iranian Refugees include Action for Democracy
and Human Rights in the Middle East, International Federation for Iranian Refugees, Iranian Refugees
Action Network, Iranian Refugee Amnesty Network, and Mission Free Iran.
Icri.refugees@gmail.com http://icrir.org