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Queers do exist in Iran and they need your financial support. Please donate quickly and securely by clicking here By documenting and reporting cases of torture, persecution, execution and other human rights violations that occur in Iran on a regular basis, the IRanian Queer Railroad (IRQR) has helped remove any international doubt about the dismal situation of queers in Iran. Generous donations from organizations and individual defenders of human rights have made it possible for IRQR to help the Iranian queer community around the world. From advocacy for asylum seekers to direct financial support of refugees in dire need, IRQR has aided hundreds of Iranian queers since its inception.
Your financial assistance saves lives IRQR is committed to obtaining direct financial support for queer asylum seekers in imminent danger of homelessness. In Turkey, where many of them seek refuge, these asylum seekers are not permitted to work and do not have access to health facilities, medication, food or adequate housing. They often live in crowded houses, with no heat or sanitary facilities. Several of our refugees, cramped in a small apartment, were fearful for their future as the landlord had sold the building. To move to another apartment requires a considerable amount of money for a down payment, the usual procedure for renting flats in Turkey. A portion of your donations were used to pay off their rent and that of other asylum seekers for a period of one year. Unfortunately, IRQR’s funding for this housing support is extremely limited. We urgently need your support for these people and others who are on the verge of homelessness. Click here to join our Refugee Sponsorship Plan (RSP).
(a Refugee house in Turkey - 7 of our refugees live in this house) Advocacy IRQR has played and continues to perform an extremely influential role in obtaining refugee status for Iranian queer asylum seekers. IRQR sends letters of support on behalf of these individuals to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and to European countries where refugees are usually tried for their cases; IRQR advocates on their behalf until their cases are fully resolved. Currently we are working on the cases of about 203 asylum seekers (as of March 1, 2009). As a result of our efforts, more than 90% have been granted refugee status; many of these refugees had been waiting for three or four years. In August 2008, Arsham Parsi had a productive meeting with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Canadian Embassy in Ankara,Turkey, regarding Iranian queer asylum seekers. After that meeting, a number of asylum seekers had been granted refugee status or had been referred to the Canadian Embassy for their resettlement process. Furthermore, the UNHCR amazingly changed their legal interviews to an earlier date. These asylum seekers who identify as queer are so happy about these positive steps that have taken place in their cases. Our meeting with UNHCR, Canadian and Australian Embassy in Turkey will be continue.
A Snapshot of Our History IRQR has been remarkably successful at creating a global shift in consciousness around Iranian queer issues. From the national and international conferences and meetings we have attended and organized, to the media and public awareness campaigns in which we have engaged, we have raised significant awareness about the plight of Iranian queers. In January of 2007, Arsham Parsi, IRQR Executive Director, organized a Human Rights Symposium which brought together acclaimed scholars and human rights activists, providing the first forum for examining the systematic violation of human rights in Iran based on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion and disability. Without your generous financial contributions, this event would not have been possible. Your donations also made it possible for IRQR to purchase a computer and other essential office equipment.
(a Refugee house in Afghanistan) Our message of thanks to you We are most grateful for your concern and compassion on behalf of Iranian queers, demonstrated by your past contributions. Your support has been instrumental in easing our financial burden and advancing our cause. Donate quickly and securely by joining IRQR Refugee Sponsorship Plan (RSP) to ensure the safety and survival of queers forging new lives safe from the brutality of the Iranian regime. We would be more than happy to provide you with further information regarding our activities. Email us at info@irqr.net. |
