EUROPEAN RACE BULLETIN - Institute of Race Relations

New deportation measures are not safeSince then, the Zurich cantonal authority has introduced anew type of ‘open faced helmet’, which forces the jawstogether. The authorities say that a cover placed across themouth which contains a small aperture for breathing is notdangerous as the cover can be removed if necessary. But AIis concerned that the helmet has not been assessed for safetyby suitably – qualified medical personnel and has requested,but not received, details of relevant studies and findings.Procedures at Zurich-Kloten airport reviewedAfter a working group promised greater professionalism inforced removals at Zurich-Kloten, the authorities responsibleannounced that from 2001 a new centralised airport service,including representatives from the Confederation and thecantons, would manage all expulsions of asylum seekers onbehalf of the cantons. The Zurich cantonal authorities havealso announced that, in future, police officers will have toobtain a medical certificate before carrying out forcibledeportations. (AI Concerns in Europe, ibid, Le Temps 21.4.00)Non-cooperation with asylum procedure meritsdeportationThe Asylum Appeals Commission has announced that asylumseekers who do not cooperate satisfactorily with the authoritieswill be treated more severely in future and a workinggroup established by the Confederation and the Zurich cantonis considering what measures can be taken against applicantswho withhold information about their identity andcountry of origin. The announcement came after the FederalRefugee Office (ODR) confirmed that an asylum seeker whowas late for two official appointments will be deported as hisabsence amounted to a refusal to register his asylum claimand therefore justified his removal.Being late for appointments means rejection of claimThe Liberian had an early morning appointment with the foreignerspolice in the Fribourg canton which he did notattend, phoning in 45 minutes later to say he had a severetoothache. Officials told him that this was no excuse, andarranged another appointment at an office on the town’speriphery – he was late for this appointment also. Havingarrived late for a third appointment because, he said, he gotlost, the ORD threw out his asylum claim and ordered hisdeportation to Liberia.‘Negligence’ clause in new asylum lawThe new asylum law was aimed at ‘combating abuse committedwithin the framework of the asylum procedure’ andhas considerably reduced the burden of evidence needed toprove that an asylum seeker has failed to cooperate with theauthorities. Whereas in the past ‘intentional wrongdoing’ hadto be established, today ‘negligence’ can be sufficient to dismissan asylum claim, although age, education, professionand social status all have to be taken into account. In thecase of the Liberian asylum seeker, the excuses of theLiberian were deemed neither credible nor proven. (Le Temps10.5, 25.6.00)Sick rejected asylum seeker wins European caseUKRAINEPoliceERRC claims anti-Roma police harassmentcommonplaceAccording to the ERRC, the case of Mr Roshtash is typical ofthe many reports they receive of blatant harassment ofRomani communities by police.According to Mr Roshtash, police took him from hishouse in the town of Chop to the police station in the earlyhours of the morning without giving an explanation or showinga warrant. Once there, he was accused of stealing a bicyclewhich he denied and then he was repeatedly beaten witha truncheon and stick for three hours. The assault was witnessedby the chief of the police station, he alleges. On hisrelease, Mr Roshtash was taken to hospital where only hisblood pressure was taken by doctors who did not give himany other treatment when they learned his injuries had beensustained in police custody. His relatives then took him to asecond hospital which recorded injuries to his chest andarms and trauma to the abdomen. (Roma Rights, no. 2, 2000)UNITED KINGDOMImmigration, border and pre-entrycontrolsUK embassy in Sudan flouts Geneva ConventionThe Foreign Office has ordered its diplomats in Sudan to dropa scheme aimed at preventing asylum seekers leaving thecountry. The scheme whereby visa requests were screened atthe UK embassy in Khartoum was not authorised by the government.Human rights groups, however, pointed out that,authorised or not, it was consistent with the clear hint givento embassies abroad to reduce refugees coming to the UK. Itwas also a serious violation of the Geneva Convention.Foreign Office launches inquiryThe Foreign Office described the scheme as a local initiativethat put applicants in an impossible situation. An investigationwas launched under the auspices of the joint entryclearance unit set up by the Foreign Office and Home Officeto ensure a ‘fairer, faster and firmer entry clearance process’.There is no indication as yet whether any diplomat will bedisciplined. (Guardian 9.8.00)Stowaway on lorry falls to her deathIn April, a woman of unknown nationality who was hidden inthe articulated trailer of a lorry which had travelled fromEurope to Dover died as she attempted to climb out whenthe Austrian driver pulled away from traffic lights in StLeonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. She fell and was run over.Four other stowaways were arrested. (Times 10.4.00, GlasgowHerald 10.4.00)A Congolese woman whose asylum application was turneddown, despite her having AIDs, hepatitis B and TB, has beenawarded 6,000 francs in compensation after taking her caseto the European Court. (Le Temps 7.7.00)60IRR EUROPEAN RACE BULLETIN • NO 35 • DECEMBER 2000/ JANUARY 2001