Thirty Iranian human rights organizations and organizations from around the world in a joint statement to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Katrina Lump in Turkey, have raised their objection to the cancelation of health coverage for refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey.
In a statement, the human rights organization also called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to urge European governments not to remain silent on the situation of refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey.
The full text of the statement, signed by 30 human rights organizations, reads as follows:
In the days when the world is facing a coronavirus crisis, many refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey are deprived of their most basic rights.
Asylum seekers living in Turkey are under pressure from the Turkish Immigration Office while most of them are unable to return to their homeland for ideological and political reasons.
The Turkish Immigration Office has canceled the health insurance for refugees and asylum seekers, causing severe damage to low-income or sick families. Besides, accidents or illnesses can come unexpected, and Turkey is one of the countries where the spread of coronavirus has accelerated.
However, the problems of refugees in Turkey do not end there: “no permission to leave the city, refusing to issue a work permit, and stopping the refugee case processing have made the situation even more difficult.”
A number of asylum seekers living in Turkey have filed a petition, signed by more than 6,700 people, calling on all human rights organizations and the international media to have their voices heard.
In this regard, we call on Iranian human rights organizations and institutions from around the world to urge UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Katrina Lump in Turkey to not be indifferent to discontinuing health insurance for refugees and asylum seekers.
We also call on the World Health Organization, all international forums and European countries to put pressure on the Turkish government to not sacrifice asylum seekers for their political aspirations and interests and to deprive them of their minimum human rights.
Solidarity Network for Human Rights in Iran
April 2020
Copy: For the World Health Organization
Iranian Association-New York
Iranian Women’s Association-Montreall
Iranian and German Theatre Association-Koln
Iranian solidarity Association-Texas
Iranian Republican Association-Paris
The Society of Human Rights and Democracy for Iran-Hamburg
Ismail Khoei Foundation
Mothers of Parke Laleh
Defenders of Mothers of Parke Laleh-Dortmund
Defenders of Mothers of Parke Laleh-Hamburg
Defenders of Mothers of Parke Laleh-London
Defenders of Mothers of Parke Laleh- Fresno
Fresno Network for National Solidarity In Iran-California
Euro press Federation
Center to Defend Human Rights in Kurdistan
Independent Committee Against the suppression of Iranian Citizens-Paris
Committee in Defense of Human Rights in Iran-Chicago
Committee in Defense of Political and Civil prisoners
Mothers for Peace-Montreal
Society for « All Human Rights for Everyone in Iran”
Solidarity for Human Rights in Iran-Calgary
Union for Secular Republic & Human Rights in Iran-Montreal
Union for Secular Republic & Human Rights in Iran-New York
Union for Secular Republic & Human Rights in Iran-Los Angeles
Union for Secular Republic & Human Rights in Iran-Vancouver
Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran- DC
Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran- Scandinavian Region
Union of Iranian Democracy Activist – Hamburg
Democratic Coordination Council of the Democratic and Secular Republic Movement of Iran
Solidarity Committee For Human Rights in Iran- Norway