The federal government says Canadian officials in multiple countries have “spent hundreds of hours” trying to return Alison Azer’s children to Canada from Iran but have not given up yet.
“Parental abduction cases can be especially complicated where a child is taken to a country, such as Iran, which does not recognize dual-nationality,” read a Global Affairs Canada statement which was issued to Global News.
Azer’s children, two girls and two boys aged between four and 12, were abducted almost a year ago when her husband Saren Azer took the children to Iraq rather than to Europe, where he claimed to be taking them on vacation.
In February, when Allison discovered where he was hiding, Saren then moved the children to Iran.
On Saturday, Global News spoke to Alison Azer who said the government’s inaction had led to the dismissal of charges against her husband in Iran.
READ MORE: Alison Azer: Government inaction led to dismissal of charges against children’s dad
“This is political interference of the most nefarious kind,” she told Global News by phone Saturday, calling Canada’s lack of action, “negligent.”
Saren was reportedly arrested by Iranian officials on June 12 in the province of West Azerbaijan but the charges have since been dropped, Azer says.
The charges were based on an Interpol Red Notice Alert, which charged him of “Abduction in Contravention of Custody Order.”
Azer says her lawyer in Iran told her the charges were dropped because no one from the Government of Canada contacted Iranian officials.
READ MORE: How much can the Canadian government do to bring the Azer children home?
She then shared the information with Global Affairs on July 29 but it was “the first they’d heard of it.”
A spokesman from Global Affairs told Global News the government has stayed in contact with Alison Azer to make sure all parties are on the same page with regards to the situation.
“We have regularly updated Ms. Azer and MPs (Helene) Laverdiere and (Gord) Johns and on multiple occasions have discussed the rationale and steps taken by the Government of Canada,” Chantal Gagnon, Press Secretary of Minister Stéphane Dion, told Global News through email.
“In fact, on May 9, 2016, MPs Laverdiere and Johns agreed with the assessment of the specific challenges to this case.”
READ MORE: Man who abducted his 4 kids, brought them to Iran, says he was escaping ‘Canadian nightmare’
NDP MP Johns, who serves Alison’s riding, said he is “deeply concerned” in a press release.
“I’m deeply concerned about the apparent inaction by the government of Canada with regard to the arrest of Saren Azer in Iran. Our only concern is to see the safe return of the four Canadian Azer children. Canada has not acted when they should be acting,” he wrote.
Gagnon says she is worried some MPs may be attempting to politicize the matter which would do nothing to help bring the children home.
“The responsibility lies with all parliamentarians to work together and resist politicizing consular cases to help Canadians in trouble abroad,” she said. “Calling on the government to provide an explanation for a rationale that was previously shared and understood does nothing to advance our shared goal of seeing the children safely returned home.”
With files from Rebecca Joseph and Monique Muise
Comments