Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Asylum seekers are being rushed towards flights to Rwanda, without proper access to justice

Asylum seekers are being rushed towards flights to Rwanda, without proper access to justice

Survivors of torture and trafficking must be able to present their case in a fair and lawful way. That simply isn’t happening
Yesterday, my organisation lost its bid to have an urgent injunction put in place to prevent any flights to Rwanda carrying refugees from leaving the UK, until after a full hearing on whether the policy is lawful next month. Our case is one of two applications brought forward by coalitions of charities and activists Unfortunately, both of these applications have been rejected, which means that flights are due to take off today.

However, we are confident in our view that the way the Rwanda scheme is being implemented is unlawful and unfair. At Asylum Aid, we have over 30 years’ experience providing legal representation to asylum seekers who have experienced some of the worst cases of torture, human trafficking or gender-based violence. Some of our clients are unaccompanied children or stateless people with very complex cases. We also know how many people we unfortunately have to turn away when they ask for our help, and we know what it takes to provide it.

When people have access to legal representation and are able to present their case either to the Home Office or to the courts, the Home Office’s decision to remove them is often withdrawn or overturned. We’ve seen it happen with today’s first flight of removals to Rwanda, where the vast majority of people who received notice of removal have been taken off the list once they had the chance to make their case.

While it has been suggested that this shows due diligence on the part of the Home Office, our experience indicates that it is more likely due to those individuals having good legal representatives putting their cases forward. However, the stark reality is that it is very difficult to access good legal representation and there is not the capacity in our sector to both find and prioritise those potentially earmarked for removal to Rwanda on an ongoing basis. There will eventually be individuals who haven’t managed to obtain legal advice or representation and therefore challenge the Home Office on their decision in their case. Whether on this flight, the next flight or the one after that.

This scheme is unlawful and unfair because it relies on impossible timeframes that do not offer people seeking asylum the opportunity to gain legal advice and representation or say why they shouldn’t be removed. Those given a one-way ticket to Rwanda by the Home Office only have seven days to find legal representation and gather the evidence to respond. Once removal instructions are issued, they only have a further five days to appeal to the courts. This abbreviated access to justice flies in the face of basic principles of fairness and belief in the rule of law that are at the very centre of our legal system.

The impact of removing survivors of torture and trafficking – for this is who is being caught up in this government’s scheme – is significant. It will have a hugely detrimental impact on their mental and physical health. Among the people originally deemed suitable for removal from the UK are a former police officer from Iran who says he refused to shoot peaceful demonstrators and a survivor of torture from Sudan.

This is what lies at the core of our case against the Home Office. The principle that people fleeing dangerous situations, human rights abuses, human trafficking or torture who seek safety in the UK should have the opportunity to present their case in a fair and lawful manner. A principle that has been at the foundation of our justice and asylum system since the second world war and is worth fighting for.

This is why we believe that the best way to protect vulnerable people was for a halt to all removals to Rwanda until the scheme could be reviewed fully by the courts. We will not give up: we will prepare for the final hearing of our case by gathering evidence of how this unfair system is operating in practice and supporting individuals at risk.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×