Norway has granted political asylum to two Iranians who hijacked a Russian passenger plane in 1993. Norwegian officials state that earlier this month, the two were given permanent residency because they would face the death penalty if they returned to Iran. In 1993, armed with grenades, they hijacked a Russian plane traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia and forced the pilot to land at Oslo Airport. After releasing the passengers and crew unharmed, the hijackers applied for political asylum. Initially, the Norwegian government rejected their application, and the hijackers were handed over to the Russian government, where they served two years of a five-and-a-half-year sentence. According to a Norwegian newspaper, after their release, they went to Denmark, but Danish authorities denied their asylum request.
Norway Grants Asylum to Two Iranian Hijackers - 2002-06-18
Norway has granted asylum to two Iranian hijackers from a 1993 incident involving a Russian passenger plane. They were initially rejected by Norway but later received permanent residency due to fears of execution in Iran. This case highlights ongoing issues of political asylum and human rights in relation to Iranian nationals.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Norway granted political asylum to two Iranian hijackers who took control of a Russian passenger plane in 1993. Initially rejected, they were later given permanent residency due to fears of execution if they returned to Iran.
- The hijackers used grenades to seize the plane and forced it to land in Norway.
- They were initially sentenced in Russia and later denied asylum in Denmark.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The hijacking incident occurred during a turbulent period in post-Soviet Russia, and the Iranian regime has a history of harshly punishing dissenters. Political asylum is a contentious issue, especially for individuals from countries with poor human rights records.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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