Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, December 13, 2024
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| The Identity Card of the Islamic Republic of Iran |
It has been reported that the Iranian Civil Registration Office in Tabriz has refused to issue an identity card for a child named “Emre,” chosen by the "Khansari" family, despite a court ruling in their favor. The child has been without an identity card for more than 5 months.
According to information shared by various sources, citing an Instagram account called "Dan Dergisi," the Tabriz Registration Office is refusing to register the name "Emre," despite a court ruling that supports the family.
According to a post shared on the "Dan Dergisi" account, “This child was born on July 1st. The parents chose the Turkish name ‘Emre’ for their child, but the Lalé district branch of the registration office in Tabriz refused to issue an identity card, claiming that the name was not listed in the office’s online portal.”
After being rejected by the Registration Office, the Khansari family took the issue to court. Following their appeal, the 18th branch of Tabriz's General Court accepted the family's complaint.
“Instead of issuing an identity card in line with the court’s decision, the Iranian Civil Registration Office appealed the ruling. The court sent the case to the Iranian Administrative Justice Court, but the administrative court did not uphold the family’s appeal. Due to all these obstacles, the family is facing many problems,” shared "Dan Dergisi."
The post also mentions that “The strange thing is that Emre’s father's name is ‘Emre,’ from the same root. Yet, the authorities continue to refuse to issue an identity card for the name ‘Emre,’ offering empty excuses.”
In recent years, the number of families in Iranian Azerbaijan and other regions with Turkish populations choosing Turkish names for their children seems to have increased. Many families prefer to give their children names that are especially popular in Turkey.
Families in Iranian Azerbaijan and Tehran, who have been unable to obtain identity cards for their children with Turkish names for months or even years, are trying to raise awareness through social media.
Due to the lack of identity cards, families are unable to benefit from state healthcare and other services, and must pay high amounts to receive services from the private sector.
Previously, social media reports have claimed that Iranian officials refused to issue identity cards for names like Alp Orhan, Sevgi, Yağış, Oğuz Kaan, Onur, Alparslan, Atakan, Ayıl, Hakan, Anar, Türkay, Tarkan, and Volkan. Some of these names have been registered after families repeatedly appealed to the registration office or courts.
In various cities, civil registration offices refuse to issue identity cards, arguing that the names chosen by families are not of Iranian or Islamic origin, are foreign, or are not on the approved list.
Link to the original text in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Təbriz qeydiyyat şöbəsi məhkəmə qərarına rəğmən “Əmrə” adlı uşağa şəxsiyyət vəsiqəsi vermir