Stateless

Behnam Qudousi

2024 / 64 minutes
Iran
Persian with English Subtitles

In the province of Sistan and Baluchistan, many residents remain without identity documents due to the province’s proximity to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Estimates suggest that tens of thousands of people have lived in this region for several generations without holding citizenship in any country. Many failed to obtain identity documents during the Pahlavi era, when birth registrations first began, because they were either hiding from the military or living in remote, mountainous areas without access to government offices. In recent years, mounting security concerns have made it increasingly difficult for these individuals to obtain citizenship; in fact, only about 30,000 people have received identity documents over the past decade.

Hossein Ghofran grew up in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Zahedan, where tens of thousands of people live without identity papers. Despite coming from a poor family, he studied at prestigious government universities and, after earning a master’s degree in international law, devoted himself to helping stateless residents acquire legal identity. Bold and determined, Hossein faced many risks in his work. Eventually, he was arrested over a specific case, and after officials reviewed his own documents, his citizenship was revoked on the grounds that his papers were fraudulent. Once celebrated as a hero for the stateless, he suddenly found himself without an identity. As pressures mounted, Hossein’s undocumented status began to endanger not only his life but also his children’s future. Unable to find legal employment, he resorted to freelance work unrelated to his training and even attempted to obtain Afghan citizenship by joining the Taliban—a request that was ultimately rejected by their government. Determined to reclaim his citizenship, Hossein has now turned to legal avenues, appealing to authorities including the Islamic Council and the judiciary.

This film traces Hossein’s life and struggle, using his story to explore the broader plight of citizens without birth certificates—their daily vulnerabilities, lack of basic rights, and the persistent discrimination shaping their existence.