AFP, Berlin, March 8, 2010  – Germany will offer asylum to a ’host’ of Iranian dissidents abroad in a gesture of solidarity against human rights abuses by the Tehran regime, an interior ministry spokeswoman said Monday.
’We have decided to welcome in Germany Iranian citizens based abroad. There are a host of valid cases,’ she added, declining to say how many asylum seekers would be admitted.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the dissidents are mainly people who have criticised the Iranian regime and now live in Turkey.
’As you know, the federal government is greatly worried about the state of human rights in Iran. With this action, Germany is showing a sign of solidarity and support,’ she said.
Germany would act in cooperation with the United Nations agency for refugees, added the spokeswoman.