Fleeing Persecution Asylum Claims in the UK on Religious Freedom

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precedent case law decisions from <strong>UK</strong> courts about <strong>the</strong> country conditions. 47 However, a primary aspect of asylum decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g is credibility assessment – <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r words, whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> case worker f<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>the</strong> person’s account to be believable. Credibility can be damaged <strong>in</strong> a number of ways. This <strong>in</strong>cludes where an applicant gives <strong>in</strong>accurate or <strong>in</strong>consistent <strong>in</strong>formation; delayed mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir claim with no good reason or explanation; used false documents to enter <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> (which would <strong>in</strong>clude us<strong>in</strong>g a smuggler) or failed to claim asylum <strong>in</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r EU country that <strong>the</strong>y entered on <strong>the</strong>ir way to <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> (known as ‘safe third country’). 48 The <strong>UK</strong> may also seek to return those applicants who passed through a ‘safe third country’ but did not claim asylum. 49 If an asylum claim is dismissed at <strong>the</strong> first <strong>in</strong>stance, <strong>the</strong> majority will have a right to appeal to <strong>the</strong> First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and <strong>Asylum</strong> Chamber). Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> period of appeal <strong>the</strong>y will be allowed to rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>. However, for some asylum applicants <strong>the</strong>re is no automatic right of appeal while <strong>in</strong>side <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>. These are cases that are ‘certified’ by <strong>the</strong> decision-maker on <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>the</strong>ir claim is considered to be ‘clearly unfounded’. 50 An <strong>in</strong>dependent Immigration Judge will hear first <strong>in</strong>stance appeals <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> First-tier Tribunal. <strong>Asylum</strong>-seekers, while claim<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>ternational protection, may not be removed from <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>, as to do so would violate <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>’s obligations under <strong>in</strong>ternational law, <strong>in</strong> particular, <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>ciple of nonrefoulement. Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> exhaustion of all appeal rights, if it is not considered <strong>the</strong> applicant meets <strong>the</strong> legal criteria for recognition as a refugee or for complementary protection, <strong>the</strong>y will be expected to return <strong>the</strong> country of orig<strong>in</strong> voluntarily or o<strong>the</strong>rwise face forced removal. Refugees and those with a grant of humanitarian protection will be given leave to rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> for 5 years. They will be entitled to apply for family reunification if <strong>the</strong>y have faced separation from family members as a result of hav<strong>in</strong>g to leave <strong>the</strong>ir country, and will be able to work, study and access welfare. On application, <strong>the</strong>y will be given a travel document which will enable <strong>the</strong>m to travel anywhere <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world aside from <strong>the</strong> country from which <strong>the</strong>y sought asylum. After 5 years both refugees and those with humanitarian protection will be eligible to apply for settlement <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>. 51 If granted settlement <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> <strong>the</strong>y can <strong>the</strong>n proceed to citizenship. 47 See <strong>UK</strong> Country <strong>in</strong>formation and guidance reports which are used by <strong>UK</strong> officials to make decisions <strong>in</strong> asylum and human rights applications, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country<strong>in</strong>formation-and-guidance 48 The European Court of Human Rights has ruled it a violation of Article 3 to return an asylum-seeker to Greece, Bulgaria and Italy due to perta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>humane reception conditions. Therefore <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> is forbidden from return<strong>in</strong>g applicant’s under <strong>the</strong> Dubl<strong>in</strong> Regulation to <strong>the</strong>se countries. 49 The full text of <strong>the</strong> Dubl<strong>in</strong> 2 Regulation can be found here: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/justice_freedom_security/free_movement_of_persons_asylum_im migration/l33153_en.htm 50 Section 94 of <strong>the</strong> Nationality, Immigration and <strong>Asylum</strong> Act 2002, provides <strong>the</strong> power to certify where a claim is deemed to be ‘clearly unfounded’. To be clearly unfounded a case owner will need to be satisfied that <strong>the</strong> claim cannot, on any legitimate view, succeed. See Home Office Policy Note, ‘Non Suspensive Appeals (NSA) Certification under Section 94 of <strong>the</strong> NIA Act 2002’, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257463/certificationunders ection94.pdf 51 Those refugees who have a crim<strong>in</strong>al record or have been imprisoned dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir 5 years may not be eligible. 20
V. <strong>Asylum</strong> Applications on Grounds of Religious <strong>Persecution</strong> Due to <strong>the</strong> well-recognised complexities of assess<strong>in</strong>g religion-based claims, a raft of guidance is available to assist decision-makers <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g legal and policy guidance as well as country specific <strong>in</strong>formation. For example, UNHCR has issued Guidel<strong>in</strong>es on International Protection: Religion Based Refugee <strong>Claims</strong> that are given considerable weight by <strong>UK</strong> Courts. 52 The <strong>UK</strong>VI (<strong>UK</strong> Visas and Immigration), <strong>the</strong> department of <strong>the</strong> Home Office which manages and processes asylum decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> has issued several <strong>Asylum</strong> Policy Instructions (API) to decision-makers on how <strong>the</strong>y should assess asylum decisions and conduct asylum <strong>in</strong>terviews. 53 While, unlike gender, sexual orientation and o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>matic issues, <strong>the</strong>re is no specific API for religious based claims; <strong>the</strong>re is reference to such claims <strong>in</strong> both <strong>the</strong> API on Consider<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Protection (asylum) Claim and Assess<strong>in</strong>g Credibility and Conduct<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>Asylum</strong> Interview Process. 54 Country specific <strong>in</strong>formation is available to decision-makers through <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> Country of Orig<strong>in</strong> Information Service, which produces numerous reports, as well as <strong>the</strong> US State Department and <strong>the</strong> US Commission on International Religious Freedom reports and o<strong>the</strong>r government and NGO sources. In l<strong>in</strong>e with <strong>the</strong>se legal and policy guidance documents, two important issues need to be highlighted as <strong>the</strong>y form <strong>the</strong> core of assess<strong>in</strong>g an asylum claim, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g those based on freedom of religion or belief. These are <strong>the</strong> credibility assessment and <strong>the</strong> refugee convention criteria. Credibility Assessment The term ‘credibility assessment' refers to <strong>the</strong> process of ga<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g relevant <strong>in</strong>formation from <strong>the</strong> applicant, exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g it <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> light of all <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation available to <strong>the</strong> decision-maker, and determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> statements of <strong>the</strong> applicant relat<strong>in</strong>g to material elements of <strong>the</strong> claim can be accepted, for <strong>the</strong> purpose of <strong>the</strong> determ<strong>in</strong>ation of qualification for refugee and/or supplementary protection status. 55 Credibility assessment is <strong>the</strong> core aspect of asylum decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g. 56 While no reference is made <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Refugee Convention and <strong>the</strong> EU asylum laws provide little guidance 57 , <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>’s current policy on how to assess credibility <strong>in</strong>corporates many of <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>ciples from <strong>the</strong> UNHCR Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Refugee Status, <strong>the</strong> UNHCR Note on Burden and Standard of Proof, and <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs of UNHCR-led research <strong>in</strong>to credibility assessment <strong>in</strong> EU asylum 52 See, UNHCR Guidel<strong>in</strong>es on International Protection: Religion-based Refugee <strong>Claims</strong> under Article 1A (2) of <strong>the</strong> 1951 Convention and / or <strong>the</strong> 1967 Protocol relat<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> Status of Refugees, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/40d8427a4.html 53 See, <strong>Asylum</strong> decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g guidance (<strong>Asylum</strong> Instructions): Guidance on how <strong>UK</strong> Visas and Immigration makes decisions about asylum. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/asylum-decisionmak<strong>in</strong>g-guidance-asylum-<strong>in</strong>structions 54 Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consider<strong>in</strong>g-asylum-claims-and-assess<strong>in</strong>gcredibility-<strong>in</strong>struction and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conduct<strong>in</strong>g-<strong>the</strong>-asylum-<strong>in</strong>terviewprocess 55 UNHCR, Beyond Proof, Credibility Assessment <strong>in</strong> EU <strong>Asylum</strong> Systems, May 2013, pg. 27, available at: http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/519b1fb54.pdf 56 Ibid, pg. 13. 57 Some limited reference is made <strong>in</strong> Article 4 of <strong>the</strong> Qualification Directive and European Union Council Directive 2005/85/EC of 1 December 2005 on m<strong>in</strong>imum standards on procedures <strong>in</strong> Member States for grant<strong>in</strong>g and withdraw<strong>in</strong>g refugee status, 13 December 2005, OJ L 326/13 (here<strong>in</strong>after <strong>Asylum</strong> Procedures Directive and APD). 21
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Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Executive Summary
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Page 7 and 8: Recommendations In light of <strong
Page 9 and 10: I. Introduction The All Party Parli
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Fleeing Persecution Asylum Claims in the UK on Religious Freedom

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