The Citizens Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis decided yesterday to grant asylum to six Iranian men who have been on a hunger strike for several weeks. Their hunger strike was due to a protest at long delays in the processing of their asylum applications. This decision was welcomed by The United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees.
All six were granted political asylum after complaining that at least eight years had passed since they submitted their applications to be granted refugee status.
The UNHCR noted that this was an emergency measure and called on the government to impose new legislation to deal with the backlog of thousands of asylum applications.
The Iranians who had been protesting outside the offices of the UNHCR, claim that they would be persecuted for their beliefs if they returned to their homeland.
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