The German government on Thursday urged its citizens to leave Iran in the face of a crackdown on protests in the country since September following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a woman arrested in the capital, Tehran, for allegedly wearing the veil incorrectly.
The German Foreign Ministry has indicated on its website that «there is a concrete risk against German citizens about arbitrary arrest, interrogation and sentencing to long prison terms.» «In the recent past there have been a large number of arbitrary arrests of foreigners,» it has added.
Thus, he has pointed out that «there is a particular risk for people working alone» and added that «there is a risk that their luggage will be extensively inspected and possibly confiscated.» «In particular, electronic communication devices such as cell phones, tablets and laptops may be subject to detailed examinations,» he specified.
«Routes entered into electronic maps and navigation systems, especially for planning off-route trips, may be interpreted by Iranian security authorities as evidence of espionage or attempted espionage. Not all restricted areas are clearly marked,» he has warned.
Germany has further stated that «even people who were able to enter and leave the country without problems in the past can be arbitrarily arrested during a new trip on the basis of long-standing or recent accusations» and explained that «the clauses of the Penal Code are so vague that a large number of behaviors can be recorded without being clear to the person involved.»
«If you intend to travel despite the travel warning, clarify with the responsible Iranian diplomatic mission before starting the trip whether you have Iranian citizenship,» he has recommended, while asking its citizens to «stay away from political events, demonstrations and gatherings of people.»
The crackdown on protests over Amini’s death, which include calls for the fall of the Iranian regime, have so far resulted in the deaths of about 280 people, according to the president of the non-governmental organization Iran Human Rights (IHR), Mahmud Amiri-Moghadam, on Wednesday.
