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Plights Of Returned Asylum Seekers
To Cameroon
Whilst returned asylum seekers are supposed to be supported and integrated into the economic development of their country, as outline by The Refugee Convention: - a disturbing investigative report has revealed that deported asylum seekers and those
ejected from UK and other European states for immigration offences are being tortured and imprisoned, suffering a severe breach of their human rights upon their returned to Cameroon.
This is based on a current independent enquiry undertaken at the police station in Douala and Yaounde airport, the detective divisions and the Douala New Bell and Kondingui prisons respectively by the Cameroon Human Rights Lawyers and Lawyers Without
Boarders(L.W.B)
It disclosed that torture is widely used to sanction returned fail asylum seekers whom the regime considered as opponents. The returnees are left miserable and rather unsafe in Cameroon than expected, claim lawyer Jean Momo, head of investigative team.
Returned asylum seekers in uk are usually deported with a home office travel document stating reasons for the returned. At times police accompany returnees and hand them to the Cameroon security at the airport.
According to human rights lawyers, a solid network of security has been mounted at airport to track down individuals brought under such condition or bearing home office travel documents. Whilst their returned may be subjected to investigation those marked by the police as activist or perpetual opponents to the
regime are immediately arrested, torture and send to prison without access to justice or proper examination of their case.
The findings confirmed that those deported from UK whom the government considers as "SCNC" supporters are instantly detained and systematically send to prison after the required appearance before the state prosecutor,( if need be).
In some situation it takes long to open a judiciary enquiry for a case whose conclusion may take several years .some remand
detainees wait more than ten years in prison without judgement and Sometimes their dossiers are reported missing ,
(LWB) claimed.
More than 400 inmates and failed asylum seekers, were interviewed during this research in Douala and Yaounde airport and prison respectively. Amongst them where returned detainees who had supported their asylum claim or immigration applications in uk with evidence that they were fleeing political persecution by the
current regime. These individual are misfortune to fall back into the hands of their captors and are punished with impunity or without mercy Barrister Epie Philip, a human rights lawyer said.
Prison conditions of failed asylum seekers.
Cont'd in the Current edition
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