International Coalition for the Rights of Iranian Refugees

29 July 2011 To Pavlos Anastasiades, Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States: We strongly protest against the brutal aggression of Cypriot Government's officers against Iranian and other asylum seekers in Larnaca detention center on 12 July 2011. Your governments aggression against defenseless, illegally detained asylum-seekers appalls any honorable and decent world citizen. Since that aggression, despite all efforts by the detainees themselves and despite international support of their demands, illegal actions, harassment, racist comments, threats of further violence, and similar by Cypriot Government representatives in the Larnaca detention center continue systematically, putting your honorable government shoulder to shoulder with non-democratic regimes like the Islamic regimes in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Note that repeated death threats and arbitrary deportations by representatives of your government have left the entire refugee community paralyzed with fear. Since the event of 12 July 2011, all amenities of a decent illegal detention belonging to the refugees, including all communication facilities, have been confiscated (a TV set was returned yesterday after a hunger strike started to protest against harassments, and we thank your government for that). Even the medicines of the sick detainees have forcibly been taken away from them. Since 12 July 2011, a number of asylum seekers have been deported to the countries from which they fled, either by force or through intense psychological pressure and constant harassment and threats. Since that day, a number of brutally beaten detained asylum seekers have been removed to unknown locations. Sir! We wonder how you would justify this disrespect for humane values and international laws in defense of the rights of individual human beings? We would be grateful to know of the course of action taken by your honorable government to prevent the illegal threats to the asylum seekers who have been illegally detained. Please provide your explanations to the community of asylum seekers about the measures taken by your honourable government to handle the complaints of the beaten and tortured asylum seekers against the Cypriot governments agents and representatives who, unprovoked, used excessive force and illegal weapon such as brass knuckles; this may help a community in fear of being beaten and threatened and humiliated and tortured that the Cypriot government is indeed trying to live up to its duties as a member state in the EU and a signatory to the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

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. email: icri.refugees@gmail.com | phone: +1.240.595.2633

International Coalition for the Rights of Iranian Refugees

We demand: Immediate release of all asylum-seekers who were witnesses to or victims of the police brutality at Larnaca Detention Center on 12 July 2011; official recognition of their status as refugees, and immediate resettlement to a safe third country; Immediate investigation and prosecution of all Cypriot government employees or contractors who participated in the beatings of 12 July 2011, from the top of the chain of responsibility to the bottom; An immediate review and overhaul of the refugee status determination process in Cyprus, during which there shall be no forced deportations to countries from which people have fled; and An end to abusive labor practices in Cyprus, which economy relies on slavery-like exploitation of the labor of asylum-seekers.

We would also like to request immediate disclosure to the UNHCR the names of the asylum-seekers present at the Larnaca detention facility on 12 July 2011 who have been removed from Larnaca to unknown destinations. Unless proven otherwise we officially claim that Cyprus is not morally eligible to be a refuge-providing country, and that all asylum-seekers should be replaced to third countries, with obvious priority of imprisoned asylum seekers, and those who have been deprived of their basic human rights for years. Should these collective demands not be met, we will actively oppose Cypruss presidency of the European Union in 2012. We impatiently await your reply. Sincerely,

Maria Rohaly Representative, International Coalition for the Rights of Iranian Refugees Coordinator, Mission Free Iran

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. email: icri.refugees@gmail.com | phone: +1.240.595.2633