17 February 2010

Mohammad Reza Heydari granted political asylum in Norway

From NRK, the first news agency to announce Heydari’s resignment:

Mohammad Reza Heydari, former consul of Iran in Oslo, and his family, have been granted political asylum in Norway.

Heydari’s case was given express processing in the Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

The former consul was glad when he received the message. “I feel that the Norwegian authorities by doing this are supporting the Iranian opposistion’s struggle for freedom", he said.

Heydari resigned from his post as consul at the Iranian Embassy in December. He has since been criticizing the Iranian authorities openly. The former consul has a spouse and two sons in Norway.

He applied for political asylum because he wants to take part in the Iranian freedom struggle.

- "As of today I consider myself to be a politically independent human rights activist, and I will continue the cooperation with other activists to combat human rights violations in Iran", says Mohammad Reza Heydari.


Also reported by Dagbladet

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