Zimbabwean failed asylum seekers to be sent back

Mr Justice Collins (July 6th 2005) urged the government to halt all removals of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe pending a further High Court hearing.

A Refugee Legal Council representative said there was evidence to suggest asylum seekers faced being abused in Zimbabwe simply because they had claimed asylum in the UK.

Mr Justice Collins said this made it "arguable" (but not dangerous) that it was unsafe to send back failed asylum seekers and therefore the Refugee Legal Council (RLC) should have the chance to put its evidence to the then Home Secretary Charles Clarke.

At the time the Archbishop of Canterbury said it would be "deeply immoral" to deport failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe.

Liberal Democrat spokesman Mark Oaten said "It is indefensible to continue with deportations in the face of the evidence that individuals are being mistreated following removal from the UK," he said.

Conservative deputy leader Michael Ancram earlier had asked why the government was trying "to send Zimbabwean asylum seekers in fear of their lives, back to the bloodstained hands of Mugabe and his thugs".

Well the mills of God grind slow and the law even slower but now that's all changed now because the government is to resume deporting failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers after the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal ruled they would not automatically face persecution. (This involved a failed asylum seeker's appeal to Charles Clarke,after a Court of Appeal ruled they had "erred in law" and were told to re-consider their decision).

In a long awaited six page ruling today , Mr Justice Hodge said: "Each case must be considered on its own facts." and entered caveats over the cases of known political opponents against return but added , "That will not necessarily be the case where the only matter of interest is a relevant military history or outstanding criminal issues. Each case must be considered on its particular facts."

Immigration minister Liam Byrne said the new ruling provided the basis for a resumption of enforced returns.

Mr Byrne said the government remained "deeply concerned" about the appalling human rights situation in Zimbabwe and recognised there were Zimbabweans who were in genuine fear of persecution, but deportations were also necessary.

"Enforcing the return of those who have no right to remain here is a key part of upholding a robust and fair asylum system."

"It is therefore essential that we resume returns to send a clear signal to those who come here believing they can abuse the system that they will not be allowed to stay unless they have a genuine need for protection," he said.

Meanwhile The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe devalued the currency yesterday by 60 % and made it illegal to hold more than £22 in cash. Bank notes can only be used now by ignoring the three final zeros to counter the 1,200 % inflation rate, the highest in the world - echoes of the Weimar Republic.

Banks had run up against the limitations of their software to handle the transactions of trillions of Zim$'s.