Iran/Kuwait: Information on arrest in Kuwait of opponents of the Iranian regime
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 November 1997 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ28193.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iran/Kuwait: Information on arrest in Kuwait of opponents of the Iranian regime, 1 November 1997, ZZZ28193.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac0c6c.html [accessed 19 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The following information was provided during a 20 November 1997 telephone interview with a specialist of Iran in England.
The specialist stated that there were arrests in Kuwait of opponents to the Iranian regime after the Gulf war because the Kuwaiti regime wanted to make "a good gesture" towards Iran.
During the Iran-Iraq war the Kuwaiti government used Iranian opponents in Kuwait for intelligence gathering purposes. After the war Iran asked Turkey, Pakistan and Kuwait not to shelter members of the Iranian opposition. The specialist stated that Kuwait officially threaten to expel Iranian opponents living on its territory, but in practice the authorities gave them time to find a third country of asylum.
These opponents to the Iranian regime were mainly from military or security professions. The specialist was aware of a list which contained names and professional profiles of its Iranian opponents living in Kuwait which was drawn up by the Iranian authorities. People included in that list would be in danger upon their return to Iran because of their intelligence gathering activities in Kuwait.
The specialist stated that opponents of the Iranian regime who worked in Kuwait should be able to provide documentary evidences such as pay cheques, job descriptions, residence and work permits, etc. He expressed serious doubts that Iranians who cannot provide documentary evidence were in fact in Kuwait.
The following information was provided during a 20 November 1997 telephone interview with an independent French journalist who was based in Iran between 1992 and 1996.
The journalist confirmed that there were arrests of Iranian opponents in Kuwait after the Gulf War.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Specialist on Iran, England. 20 November 1997. Telephone interview.
French journalist who was based in Iran between 1992 and 1996, Paris, France. 20 November 1997. Telephone interview.
