Germany offers asylum to 50 Iranian dissidents involved in last year’s protests

Germany offers asylum to 50 Iranian dissidents

BERLIN — The German government says it is offering asylum to 50 Iranian dissidents who took part in the massive street protests that erupted after elections there last year.

A spokesman for Germany’s Interior Ministry said 12 of the 50 Iranians have already arrived in Germany and one more is expected in the coming week.

He said the others are mostly in Turkey waiting for Germany to finish examining their cases.

The Interior Ministry spokesman spoke on a customary condition of anonymity required by many German officials.

Germany had originally planned to take in up to 20 Iranians but raised the number to 50 after a group of Iranians already living in exile in Germany and the rights group Reporters Without Borders complained it wasn’t doing enough.