Iranian Asylum Seeker Says Türkiye Deportations Accelerating

A former Iranian political prisoner currently living in Türkiye, and seeking asylum outside the country, has expressed fears of being deported back to Iran where he could face "torture and execution."

Abdelreza Dehghan said in an audio recording received by IranWire that he is currently being held in the security department of Denizli city along with several other refugees. 

He said it is highly likely that they will be transferred to a deportation camp and then deported from Türkiye.

Dehghan said he believes the Turkish government is deporting Iranian refugees more quickly because of an agreement reached between the two countries. 

"The number of deportations is so high," he said. "They do not care there is a possibility that the Iranian government will torture and execute you."

Dehghan described the living conditions for refugees in Türkiye as "inhumane." He said he has been arrested multiple times in Türkiye because of his involvement in political and human rights activities. He added that he is now relying on international assistance and human rights organizations to improve his situation.

In November 2019, Turkish authorities detained him for his involvement in a protest rally organized by Iranians in Denizli. 

The rally aimed to demonstrate solidarity with demonstrators who had taken to the streets in 2019, to protest the cost of living in Iran and to support victims of the violent government crackdown on the protest.

Dehghan was also arrested by Iranian security agencies in 2009 and was held at  Evin Prison for several years and. He left Iran after his release. Dehghan travelled to Türkiye where he applied for asylum – and then fell into eight years of administrative limbo.

On August 3, Turkish authorities deported another former political prisoner, Shahryar Baratinya, to Iran. He was detained upon his return to Iran and is currently in Evin Prison.