§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why three Iranian refugees were sent from Hong Kong to Bangkok with their hands handcuffed behind their backs.
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§ Mr. RifkindThe normal procedure for handling persons seeking to enter Hong Kong without proper documentation is to return them whence they came.
The Iranians were therefore sent to Bangkok with a view to being put on a flight to Karachi. However, the Thai authorities refused them transit facilities. They were handcuffed because they had threatened to resist by force any attempt to send them back to Pakistan, and were considered to be a potential threat to the safety of the aircraft if unrestrained.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the names, occupations and age of the Iranian refugees held in prison in Hong Kong.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Iranians themselves have asked that their names be kept confidential, as they claim that if their identities become public, reprisals may be taken against their relatives in Iran.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the prison diet of the Iranian refugees held in a Hong Kong prison and the present state of their health.
§ Mr. RifkindWe are satisfied that the Iranians are being offered proper food. However, one of them has been refusing to take solid food since the evening of 8 February. He is under observation in the Victoria immigration centre clinic where his condition is satisfactory. Medical treatment is readily available. Only one other of the Iranians, who contracted a stomach disorder before arriving in Hong Kong, has needed it. The others are in good health.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long the Iranian refugees have been held in detention in Hong Kong; and when they are expected to be released.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Iranians have been in the custody of the Hong Kong Government since their arrival in the territory on 28 December 1983. They will be released as soon as appropriate arrangements can be made for them to leave Hong Kong.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees first made representations to the United Kingdom Government for permission to interview the Iranian refugees; what replies were given; and when permission was granted.
§ Mr. RifkindRepresentations were first made on 6 January to the United Kingdom mission in Geneva. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was informed on 12 January that the Hong Kong Government had agreed to pass on details of the 13 Iranians to his representative in the territory. Permission to interview the Iranians was granted on 20 January.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Hong Kong Government for the release of the Iranian refugees; and what was that Government's reply.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Governor of Hong Kong has received two formal petitions. One, from four relatives of the Iranians whohad come to Hong Kong from the United States of America, requested that the United Nations High132W Commissioner for Refugees be given access to the Iranians. This had already been arranged before the petition was received. The other was from Mrs. E. Elliott, CBE, and asked that the four relatives should be allowed to take the Iranians' place in detention. The Hong Kong Government replied that the laws of Hong Kong contain no powers which would permit this, but that every effort was being made, in Hong Kong and internationally, to reach satisfactory arrangements for their departure. There have been a number of other informal approaches which the Government have answered in similar terms.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request the Hong Kong Government to release the 13 Iranian refugees into the care of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees pending a decision by the immigration authorities.
§ Mr. RifkindWe believe that it is appropriate for the Iranians, as illegal entrants to Hong Kong, to remain in the custody of the Immigration Department until arrangements are made for their departure. However, we hope that efforts to arrange their departure will soon be successful.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the detention of 13 Iranian refugees held in Hong Kong en route to Canada, details of whom have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Iranians arrived in Hong Kong on 28 December from Karachi. They intended to travel to Vancouver the next day. Because they were travelling on forged Austrian, German, French and Italian passports they were detained.
The Canada authorities have made clear that they would not be admitted to Canada. We and the Hong Kong Government are now discussing the position with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.