Petition Summary :
Thousands of vulnerable refugees from Afghanistan—many from the persecuted Hazara community—are currently stranded in Iran without legal protection, documents, or access to basic human rights. As tensions in the region escalate, we call on the Government of Canada, UNHCR, and international partners to take urgent action to protect and resettle these individuals. Their lives depend on swift, coordinated, and compassionate intervention.

 
We, as concerned Canadian citizens and residents of British Columbia, raise our voices in urgent solidarity with thousands of Afghanistan refugees currently trapped in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Many of these individuals are our family members, friends, and loved ones—people fleeing war, persecution, and repression in their home country.

Iran has historically served as a refuge for people escaping decades of conflict in Afghanistan. Today, an estimated four million Afghanistan nationals live in Iran. A significant portion of these individuals belong to the Hazara ethnic group, a community historically subjected to ethnic and religious persecution and Genocide—particularly under the Taliban regime, which returned to power in August 2021. For many, returning to Afghanistan is simply not an option.

The escalating regional conflict, especially between Iran and Israel, has placed these refugees in even greater danger. Many Afghanistan asylum seekers in Iran live without legal documents or access to work, education, or healthcare. They are at constant risk of arrest, detention, deportation, or worse—while also being unable to migrate legally to safer countries or even safer areas within Iran.

Among the Afghanistan refugees, women and girls face heightened vulnerability, including gender-based violence and systematic discrimination. The recent suspicious death of Kubra Rezaie, a young refugee from Afghanistan in Iran, underscores the urgent need for protection and accountability. 

This is a human rights crisis. It violates international laws and the core values of justice, dignity, and protection that we, as a global community, are committed to uphold.

We urgently call on:

The Government of Canada,
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
Other international humanitarian agencies and governments,
to immediately take the following actions:

Facilitate safe and legal resettlement pathways for vulnerable Afghanistan refugees, especially for persecuted communities such as the Hazaras;
Ensure protection from forced return (refoulement) for asylum seekers currently in Iran;
Support legal aid, humanitarian services, and documentation programs to help Afghanistan refugees access their rights and receive international protection.
Time is running out for many of these refugees. Their futures—and in many cases, their lives—depend on timely, compassionate, and coordinated global action. We ask you to stand with us in calling for immediate protection and resettlement for Afghanistan refugees stranded in Iran.

 
Call to Action:
Sign this petition and help us urge Canada and the international community to act now. Together, we can be a voice for the voiceless.