Hunger strike of Iranian asylum seekers ends

A UNHCR official in Islamabad confirmed to IRIN on Thursday that an agreement had been reached with the eight Iranian hunger strikers seeking asylum, allowing them an additional review of their applications, on the strict condition that the applicants end their hunger strike and accept the final decision as binding. Philip Karani, head of UNHCR’s legal division said: “These people were examined under the UN’s strict criteria for asylum status twice before, and their applications were denied.” He added, however, that “the focus of the story has been on the hunger strike recently, and not their asylum status itself, which is wrong. We are hopeful that this additional reviewal will satisfy those individuals concerned, demonstrating UNHCR’s flexibility in dealing with an otherwise difficult situation.” Meanwhile, the decision bringing to an end the hunger strike, which began on 12 March, was welcomed by the spokesman of the Iranian Asylum Seekers and Refugee Committee, Arash Vaisi, in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. “We welcome this move and we are sure that these cases are within the necessary criteria of UNHCR and are hopeful for their approval.” According to the group, all of the applicants have political reasons for not returning to Iran, and would rather face death by starvation in Pakistan than return to certain imprisonment and torture. The group hopes to have interviews scheduled beginning next week.