It’s just not like what you envision refugees do. We have this notion, based on puff-pieces written in the mainstream media, that refugees come to America or are granted asylum, are eternally grateful, work their butts off and settle into American life. Actually, LOL! readers here at RRW might not have that vision, but the average American does. So, this little bit in the middle of another story about the Iranian rights activists (the supposed good guys) bopping back and forth to Turkey was informative.
The article in Euronews is about a blogger, described as a human rights activist, Kouhyar Goodarzi, who is expecting to be granted asylum in the US.
He has been a refugee since the winter, and is waiting for his request for asylum, lodged with the UN High Commission for Refugees, to be accepted.
[….]
Kouhyar intends to rebuild his nest in the United States after his asylum application has been accepted.
And, he plans to keep up his activism from “his nest” in America!
Expelled from university in Tehran where he was studying aeronautics, he wants to continue his studies and, while pursuing his professional activities, keep up his activism.
Not a client of the Asylumist (Jason Dzubow) I hope!
Then there is his friend, Hossein Salmanzadeh, who had already been a refugee in the US, didn’t like it (says he couldn’t find work) who hopped on back to Turkey and is now shopping for asylum in Europe. This does not pass the smell test!
Hossein Salmanzadeh took the first pictures of his friend Kouhyar Goodarzi upon his arrival in Ankara.
A former photographer for the national Iranian news agency, Fars, Salmanzadeh fled four years ago, after being accused of selling photographs of post-electoral events in 2009 to foreign media.
“The government can punish me, or maybe kill me. Because the government said you are a spy, a Mossad spy, a CIA spy. Because you send pictures to other agencies. Sometimes I get a message ‘you can come back. You will only, have to go to jail for one week, do an interview on TV then you can have a good and enjoyable life’. I can’t do it!”
Salmanzadeh was a refugee once in the United States, but he could not find work. Having returned to Turkey, he hopes to be given asylum in Europe. [So how persecuted was he?—-ed]
Turkey only provides temporary refugee status to non-European asylum seekers, relying on the UNHCR to organise their transit to a third country.
Fishy story all around!