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Statement on High Court asylum ruling

19 February 2003

Commenting on the High Court ruling on Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, Refugee Action’s chief executive Sandy Buchan said:

“We are delighted with this ruling - it’s a tremendous day for the human rights of asylum seekers. Asylum seekers have done nothing wrong in seeking safety here yet they have been subjected to humiliating and degrading treatment, forced to go hungry and homeless at the height of winter, by this appalling piece of legislation.”

“The government must now focus its energies on the real prize: securing fair and fast asylum decisions, and addressing the human rights abuses around the world which are the cause of refugee movements. Degrading asylum seekers’ human rights here by driving them into destitution is not a long-term workable solution to the asylum issue.”

For more information please call: press office on 020 7654 7714 or 07810 757 752 (out of hours).

Notes to editor

Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 requires asylum applicants to make their claim “as soon as reasonably practicable” after their arrival in the UK. In practice this has meant that many have been denied support for not claiming at a port of entry and have been forced to sleep rough, with no right of appeal.

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