Category Archives: Asylum

Respect for Gay Asylum Claimant’s Private lives and Human Dignity in Assessing Claims: No Stereotyping, No Intrusive Questioning, No Requirement to Prove Sexuality

Posted on by Standard Reply

It is not possible to have a single verifiable methodology that can ascertain an asylum claimant’s sexuality.

The United Kingdom government has on many occasions sought to refuse asylum claims from those raising protection issues based on their sexual orientation by making adverse credibility conclusions in relation to the fact itself of being gay. The starting point on appeal where such a claim is refused is to seek to establish and persuade the asylum Tribunal of the fact of homosexual orientation. Where no acceptance on this issue is made by the Tribunal then arguments of risk of return with the usual considerations of principles on internal relocation and availment to police protection are largely irrelevant even if it can generally be shown that returning a person of homosexual orientation to the relevant risk country would be subject to persecution.
The assessment of consideration of such types of claims has at often times resulted in intrusive questioning by interviewing immigration officers who in turn have been criticized as insensitive.

Alice Muzira’s latest blog on having respect for gay asylum claimant’s private lives and how there needs to be human dignity when assessing claims…. No stereotyping, No intrusive questioning, No requirement to prove sexuality. To read more, click on http://ukimmigrationjusticewatch.com/latest-articles/respect-for-gay-asylum-claimants-private-lives-and-human-dignity-in-assessing-claims-no-stereotyping-no-intrusive-questioning-no-requirement-to-prove-sexuality/

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION: How difficult is it to obtain Refugee Protection in the UK?

Posted on by Standard Reply

Women and children claiming asylum in the United Kingdom who fear return to their countries of origin on the basis that they will be subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) may be a member of a particular social group for the purposes of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Read more on what the UK government’s stance on the practice and how it is dealt with where an asylum seeker raises the convention reason.

Continue reading

Asylum Support: Dignified standard of living for asylum claimants in the UK

Posted on by Standard Reply

Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected

provides Article 1 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 2000/EC 364/01.

Those claiming asylum in the UK who are solely reliant upon government support have no other source of financial support and in light of the current government stance towards such asylum claimants there is a real risk of their living in poverty and potentially being destitute thus adversely affecting their ability to have a dignified standard of living in UK.

Some asylum claimants coming to the UK looking for protection are vulnerable victims of torture and may also consist of families with young children . Whilst their claims are being progressed, for those who have applied for and are eligible for asylum support, the UK government has a duty to provide them with such support. There is therefore a need for provision of dignified levels of support that meet the essential living needs of these vulnerable claimants – they have to be viewed as needing to spend as much as UK households to meet their essential needs.

Reports in the media at times appear to give the impression that asylum claimants supported by the government are living in luxury…

Continue reading

SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS; Protection for Syrians seeking asylum in the UK?

Posted on by Standard Reply

On 16 September 2014 the UK Government set out in a Factsheet: The UK ‘s Humanitarian Aid Response to the Syria Crisis and Region how it is responding to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and other neighboring countries, “As conflict continues in Syria, millions of people are in desperate need of asstiance. The UK has committed £600 million to provide humanitarian support including food, medical care and relief items for over a million people in Syria and the region”.

The question however arises as to whether largely offering financial aid is enough to deal with the crisis of Syrian refugees fleeing to Europe including the UK. Further, regard should be had as to how and whether Syrians fleeing violence in Syria are provided with refugee protection by the UK government.

Read my views on the UK’s and Europe’s response on the humanitarian situation in Syria.

Continue reading