Iraq: Penalties faced by persons who left Iraq illegally; whether it is common practice for persons to employ bribery and/or fraudulent documentation to cross the Iraq-Jordan border
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 February 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRQ31198.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Penalties faced by persons who left Iraq illegally; whether it is common practice for persons to employ bribery and/or fraudulent documentation to cross the Iraq-Jordan border, 1 February 1999, IRQ31198.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad473c.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| 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. |
Recent information concerning the penalties faced by persons who left Iraq illegally and on whether it is common practice for persons to employ bribery and/or fraudulent documentation to cross the Iraq-Jordan border is scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a Middle East Specialist with the United States Committee for Refugees who has interviewed Iraqi asylum claimants in Jordan, stated that Iraqis who have left Iraq illegally are generally viewed with suspicion by the Iraqi authorities (9 Feb. 1999). The penalties imposed tend to vary widely but are frequently quite substantial (ibid.). The specialist also stated that the use of bribery and fraudulent documentation to cross the Iraq-Jordan at official controls does occur; however, undocumented crossing without passing through controls is more common (ibid.).
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. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Response.
Reference
United States Committee for Refugees. Washington, DC. 9 February 1999. Telephone interview with Middle East Specialist.
Additional Sources Consulted
Middle East International [London]. 1998.
Middle East Report [Washington]. 1997-1998.
Resource Centre Country file on Iraq. 1998.
Electronic sources: IRB Databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD, World News Connection (WNC).
