Mehran Karimi Nasseri, also known as Sir, Alfred
Mehran, is an Iranian refugee who has been living in
the departure lounge of Terminal One in Charles de
Gaulle Airport since August 8, 1988. After he was later
imprisoned, tortured and expelled from his country, he
applied for asylum in many European countries without
luck.
When he decided to go to the United Kingdom, he
claimed that he was mugged, and his shoulder bag
stolen while waiting at the RER platform to go to
Charles de Gaulle Airport to take a flight to Heathrow.
Nasseri managed to board the plane, but when he
arrived at Heathrow without the necessary
Mehran, is an Iranian refugee who has been living in
the departure lounge of Terminal One in Charles de
Gaulle Airport since August 8, 1988. After he was later
imprisoned, tortured and expelled from his country, he
applied for asylum in many European countries without
luck.
When he decided to go to the United Kingdom, he
claimed that he was mugged, and his shoulder bag
stolen while waiting at the RER platform to go to
Charles de Gaulle Airport to take a flight to Heathrow.
Nasseri managed to board the plane, but when he
arrived at Heathrow without the necessary
documentation, Heathrow officials sent him back to
Charles de Gaulle. Nasseri was unable to prove his
identity or his refugee status to the French officials and
so he was moved to the Zone d’attente (waiting zone),
a holding area for travellers without papers.
Mehran Karimi Nasseri
Nasseri was reportedly the inspiration behind the 2004
movie The Terminal. Unlike Tom Hanks’ character in
the movie, and since at least 1994, Nasseri does not
live in the duty-free transit area but simply in the
departure hall, in the circular boutiques and restaurants
passage on the lowest floor. He can at least
theoretically leave the terminal at any moment,
although, since everyone knows him, his departure
might not remain unnoticed. He does not seem to
speak with anyone normally. With his cart and bags, he
almost looks like a traveler, so people either do not
notice him or ignore him as if he were a homeless
person.
During his 17-year-long stay at Terminal 1 in the
Charles de Gaulle Airport, Nasseri had his luggage at
his side and spent his time reading, writing in his
diary, or studying economics. He received food and
newspapers from employees of the airport.
Nasseri’s stay at the airport ended in July 2006 when
he was hospitalized and his sitting place dismantled.
Towards the end of January 2007, he left the hospital
and was looked after by the airport’s branch of the
French Red Cross; he was lodged for a few weeks in a
hotel close to the airport. On March 6, 2007, he
transferred to an Emmaus charity reception centre in
Paris ‘s twentieth arrondissement . As of 2008, he
continues to live in a Paris shelter.
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