When someone makes a claim their case is heard by a judge in a court of law. Based on the evidence given by the applicant in an interivew with the Home Office when they first arrive in the country, most cases are turned down.
These interviews are often peremptory, the applicant is normally traumatised, very often doesn't understand English, and is confused. The Judges and Home Office lawyers use any discrepancies in this inital interview, however small, as an excuse to turn down the claim.
A simple spelling mistake in the translation of a name can be enough for the Judge to declare the applicant to be a liar. The decisions made in the courts can have terrible consequences for people, and often those decisions are based on misleading information, suspicion and bigotry.
When a claim is turned down, and all appeals have failed some asylum seekers decide to to fight the judges decision, and to mount campaigns to gather support for their claims. Many have been succesful in highlighting the injustice of the political and legal system.
The decision to set up a campaign is often difficult. The publicity it generates can have serious consequences for the persons own safety, as well as any family they left behind.
The links left will take you to some of the campaigns currently being supported in West Yorkshire.
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