Hassan Heyrani former member of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK/ PMOI) returned home after two months of detention in Karrec center. Heyrani who is a member of the Association for the Support of Iranians Living in Albania (ASILA) was detained by the Albanian Border and Migration Police on November 8th, 2022. He was on hunger strike the past twenty days to protest his illegal detention and his unclear future.
Hassan Heyrani
Expressing his pleasure for the release of Heyrani, Dashamir Mersuli, the Albanian president of ASILA published an announcement on January 8th, to declare Hassan’s presence in the office of the association. Mersuli asked God for Heyrani’s prosperity since his health was seriously threatened by the hunger strike.
Hassan Heyrani and five other defectors of the MEK, currently members of ASILA, Hassan Shahbaz, Gholam Shekari, Ali Hajari, Mehdi Soleimani and Ehsan Bidi were detained without being accused of any crime and under no judicial arrest warrant. During the two months of detention, no clear answer has been given to them about the reason of their detention.
When Hassan was on hunger strike, his wife Margarita Balco made efforts to pursue his case in the Albanian governmental bodies and media. Hassan himself published a video to call on the authorities to investigate his case as a legal refugee who has been residing in Albania for seven years with official residence permit.