Iranian refugees face deportation from Turkey for attending protest

Three Iranian refugees are facing deportation from Turkey after taking part in a demonstration against Ankara’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention on violence against women, the Guardian reports.

According to the report, Lily Faraji, Zeinab Sahafi and Ismail Fattahi were arrested after attending a protest in the southern Turkish city of Denizli last March. A fourth Iranian national, Mohammad Pourakbari, was detained with the others, despite not attending the protests, according to Buse Bergamalı, their lawyer.

“They were taken from their homes because they joined in the Istanbul convention protests,” said Bergamalı.

She also said the four were arrested after police photographed them at the protests and identified them.

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Hundreds of protesters across Turkey have faced brutal responses from local police for participating in demonstrations against Turkey’s withdrawal from the Convention, which aims to combat violence against women by supporting survivors of abuse.

Turkish authorities ruled earlier this month that the group could be deported, after they lost their appeal against a deportation order issued last April.

In Turkey, there are 24,300 Iranian dissidents and asylum seekers, according to the UN high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR). An estimated 67,000 Iranian citizens live in Turkey, with numbers reportedly rising in recent years, as some flee persecution while others look to avoid US sanctions on Iran by buying property and claiming Turkish citizenship.