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Asylum seekers’ rights eroded on landmark anniversary

Wednesday December 10th 2008

REFUGEE Action is today calling for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees to be upheld on the 60th anniversary of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The declaration was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10th 1948.

Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, said that the declaration’s fundamental rights are as important and relevant today as they were sixty years ago – but warned that the rights of asylum seekers in Britain have been significantly eroded.

“Asylum seekers flee to the UK because they are protecting their right to life and are often escaping torture or inhumane treatment. While here they are subjected to many restrictions which run contrary to the declaration. For instance, asylum seekers are not granted the right to work, which goes against article 23.

“If an asylum seeker’s claim is rejected they are made homeless and destitute unless they agree to return to their country of origin. Many are too afraid to do this. The policy of destitution flies in the face of Article 25 which states that ‘Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself…..’, while article 5 guarantees that ‘No one shall be subjected to….cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.’

“We believe that the erosion of these rights in the UK - 60 years after they were adopted - is a disgrace. Asylum seekers and refugees should be allowed to live with dignity while their claims are being assessed and should continue to be treated so until they are granted leave to remain or until their country is safe for them to return.”

Ends

Notes:

? To read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights go to http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

? Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement, and deal with some 40,000 enquiries from refugees and asylum seekers each year. As one of the country's leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 27 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees.