Denmark: Information on the Danish procedure for investigating Iranian Convention Refugee claimants, including whether the Danish authorities instruct their embassy in Tehran to investigate claimants, and if so, whether claimants' families are consequently harassed or mistreated by the Iranian authorities
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 February 1997 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | DNK26324.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Denmark: Information on the Danish procedure for investigating Iranian Convention Refugee claimants, including whether the Danish authorities instruct their embassy in Tehran to investigate claimants, and if so, whether claimants' families are consequently harassed or mistreated by the Iranian authorities, 1 February 1997, DNK26324.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abe41c.html [accessed 15 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. |
KIMSKeywords:CSR51; Iranians; family; diplomatic services; refugee status determination procedures; lawyers; Denmark
In telephone interviews on 11 and 12 February 1997, a legal counsellor with the Danish Refugee Council in Copenhagen provided the following information, which represents the Council's position. The Danish authorities process cases involving Iranians applying for Convention Refugee status in Denmark in the same way they process cases of claimants from all other countries. The Danish authorities initially attempt to obtain the information necessary to resolve the cases by utilizing resources available in Denmark, but if information is still lacking, the authorities may, and occasionally do, instruct the staff of the Danish embassy in Tehran to conduct investigations. The embassy staff in Tehran may attempt to obtain information on refugee claimants or the group(s) to which they belong. The embassy staff do not contact Iranian officials to obtain the desired information, but "normally contact" an "independent lawyer" or "local independent sources." The embassy staff occasionally show refugee claimants' documentation to these Iranian sources, and this may result in the name of a refugee claimant being revealed to the sources. The legal counsellor has not heard of any instances in which investigation by the Danish embassy staff in Iran or their Iranian sources has led to harassment or mistreatment of refugee claimants' families in Iran.
For information on the Danish Refugee Council, please consult the attachment.
Additional information on the above-mentioned topic could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Danish Refugee Council, Copenhagen. 12 February 1997. Telephone interview with legal counsellor.
_____. 11 February 1997. Telephone interview with legal counsellor.
Attachment
Danish Refugee Council, Copenhagen. 11 February 1997. Facsimile sent to the DIRB by the legal counsellor.
Additional Sources Consulted
Two other oral sources consulted did not provide information on the requested topics.
