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UNHCR imposing compulsory iris-scans on returning refugees over six years old

01 August 2003

Since October 2002 the UNHCR has been taking compulsory "iris-scans" of returning Afghan
refugees at three centres on the Pakistan border - a total of over 130,000 people have been
scanned so far. The scheme originally applied to everyone over 12 years old, however, this
summer the age limit was lowered to just six years old.

The UNHCR's rationale is that this surveillance scheme stops fraud by what they call
"recyclers", that is people who go through the scheme more than once. Under the scheme
people get between $5 and $30 to cover transport costs (depending on the distance), plus kits
containing blankets, plastic tarpaulin, soap, several months supply of wheat flour from the
World Food Programme (WFP).

UNHCR say that 600 "recyclers" has been detected this year under the scheme.

It appears that UNHCR have not adopted data protection rules regarding the database as no
names are associated with the iris-scans held. However, iris scans constitute personal data
whether linked to names or not. Moreover, if this database is accessible by a third party which
also stores iris scans but with names and other personal data basic data protection standards
would be breached. Guarantees that the database will not be accessible to any third parties
are essential.

Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was signed in November 1989
entered into and force September 1990:

"Article 16 (1) No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his
or her privacy, family, home or correspondence"

The Convention is the most universally accepted human rights instrument in history ­ it
has been ratified by every country in the world except two - Somalia and the USA.

Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor, comments:

"The UNHCR's iris-scanning of those returning to Afghanistan is highly objectionable
as this appears to be compulsory for everyone over the age of just six years old if they
are to get food and aid within the UNHCR scheme - and it appears that the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child is being ignored.

Contrary to UNHCR's claims "iris-scans" have been rejected by other international
organisations as they are considered the most invasive of the three biometric checks
available - facial scans are said to be the least intrusive, followed by fingerprints.

What is beyond the pale is the patronising language used by UNHCR in their coverage
towards people who are so desperate that they seek to get a few more dollars and a bit
more food out of their scheme. Rather this should lead UNHCR to look urgently at the
conditions in Afghanistan rather than labelling people as criminals"

UNHCR press briefing on, 8 August 2003, Geneva

"Of the 250,000 Afghan refugees who have gone back from Pakistan this year, more than half
have undergone a pioneering iris recognition test at one of our three verification centres
located in Pakistan's border regions. We opted to use this biometric recognition system in
order to prevent identification fraud.

The system was successfully tested late last year in Peshawar, in Pakistan's North West
Frontier Province.

More than 130,000 refugees have so far undergone the iris test without complaint. The iris
verification process uses state-of-the-art technology and is non-intrusive. Potential returnees
are asked to look through a small hole while a camera captures a close-up of their iris. Each
photographed iris is saved as an image, not as a name, to simplify the process and protect the
privacy of returnees. The image is then added to a computer database that is shared among
the three iris validation centres. UNHCR staff are alerted every time someone tries to go
through the process again.