coi update vol. 217€¦ · human rights watch dispatches, no room for debate in cameroon...
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COI Update Vol. 217 11 May 2020
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This document provides an update of UK Country Guidance case law, UK Home Office publications
and developments in refugee producing countries (focusing on those which generate the most
asylum seekers in the UK) between 28 April and 11 May 2020.
Ctrl + click the hyperlinked text to access the documents
Legal Update
Afghanistan
AS (Safety of Kabul) Afghanistan CG [2020] UKUT 130 (IAC)
Risk on return to Kabul from the Taliban
(i) A person who is of lower-level interest for the Taliban (i.e. not a senior government or
security services official, or a spy) is not at real risk of persecution from the Taliban in Kabul.
Risk of serious harm in Kabul
(ii) There is widespread and persistent conflict-related violence in Kabul. However, the
proportion of the population affected by indiscriminate violence is small and not at a level
where a returnee, even one with no family or other network and who has no experience
living in Kabul, would face a serious and individual threat to their life or person by reason of
indiscriminate violence.
Reasonableness of internal relocation to Kabul
(iii) Having regard to the security and humanitarian situation in Kabul as well as the difficulties
faced by the population living there (primarily the urban poor but also IDPs and other
returnees, which are not dissimilar to the conditions faced throughout many other parts of
Afghanistan) it will not, in general, be unreasonable or unduly harsh for a single adult male in
good health to relocate to Kabul even if he does not have any specific connections or support
network in Kabul and even if he does not have a Tazkera.
(iv) However, the particular circumstances of an individual applicant must be taken into account
in the context of conditions in the place of relocation, including a person’s age, nature and
quality of support network/connections with Kabul/Afghanistan, their physical and mental
health, and their language, education and vocational skills when determining whether a
person falls within the general position set out above. Given the limited options for
employment, capability to undertake manual work may be relevant.
(v) A person with a support network or specific connections in Kabul is likely to be in a more
advantageous position on return, which may counter a particular vulnerability of an
individual on return. A person without a network may be able to develop one following
return. A person’s familiarity with the cultural and societal norms of Afghanistan (which may
be affected by the age at which he left the country and his length of absence) will be relevant
to whether, and if so how quickly and successfully, he will be able to build a network.
Previous Country Guidance
(vi) The country guidance in AK (Article 15(c)) Afghanistan CG [2012] UKUT 163 (IAC) in relation
to Article 15(c) of the Qualification Directive remains unaffected by this decision.
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(vii) The country guidance in AK (Article 15(c)) Afghanistan CG [2012] UKUT 163 (IAC) in relation
to the (un)reasonableness of internal relocation to Kabul (and other potential places of
internal relocation) for certain categories of women remains unaffected by this decision.
(viii) The country guidance in AA (unattended children) Afghanistan CG [2012] UKUT 16 (IAC) also
remains unaffected by this decision.
UK Home Office Publications Update
Albania
UK Home Office, Country Policy and Information Note, Albania: Mental healthcare, 7 May 2020
Country News and Publications
Global
Amnesty International research, Africa: Guidelines For African States To Protect The Rights Of
Women And Girls During The Covid-19 Pandemic, 7 May 2020
UNICEF press release, 19 million children internally displaced by conflict and violence in 2019, highest
number ever, 4 May 2020
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 2020 Global Report on Internal Displacement, 28 April
2020
Afghanistan
Radio Free Europe, Taliban Attack On Afghan Army Checkpoint Kills Six As Violence Threatens Peace
Deal, 11 May 2020
Reporters Without Borders, Afghan cleric who defied Covid-19 lockdown threatens woman
journalist, 11 May 2020
International Crisis Group commentary, COVID-19 in Afghanistan: Compounding Crises, 6 May 2020
Radio Free Europe, Afghanistan Suicide Bombing Kills At Least Three, Wounds 15, 29 April 2020
Algeria
Amnesty International news, Algeria: Release journalist Khaled Drareni and end targeted harassment
of independent media, 30 April 2020
Human Rights Watch dispatches, During Pandemic, Algeria Tightens Vise on Protest Movement, 29
April 2020
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Bangladesh
Human Rights Watch commentary, Bangladesh Should Support Hijra, Trans Under Covid-19, 8 May
2020
Human Rights Watch news, Bangladesh: Mass Arrests Over Cartoons, Posts, 7 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Bangladesh: Further Information: Editor Faces Detention After
Disappearance: Shafiqul Islam Kajol, 6 May 2020
Human Rights Watch news, Bangladesh: Rohingya Refugees in Risky Covid-19 Quarantine, 5 May
2020
Reporters Without Borders, Bangladeshi journalist found alive after being missing for 53 days, 4 May
2020
Human Rights Watch news, Bangladesh: Covid-19 Aid Limits Imperil Rohingya, 28 April 2020
Cameroon
Amnesty International news, Cameroon: Authorities must urgently protect detainees against COVID-
19, 5 May 2020
Human Rights Watch dispatches, No Room for Debate in Cameroon Classrooms, 1 May 2020
OHCHR press release, Cameroon must protect human rights defenders – UN experts, 28 April 2020
China
Reporters Without Borders, China: detained for fighting censorship, 11 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, China: Covid-19 Activist Held Incommunicado: Chen Mei, 7 May
2020
Radio Free Asia, Detained Rights Lawyer Resurfaces After Crackdown on Xiamen Dissident Gathering,
7 May 2020
Radio Free Asia, China Steps Up Security in Beijing, Detains Activist Ahead of Congress, 6 May 2020
Human Rights Watch news, China: Covid-19 Discrimination Against Africans, 5 May 2020
Radio Free Asia, Police Arrest Professor Who Linked Virus to The Chinese Communist Party, 4 May
2020
Radio Free Asia, Labor Activist 'At Risk of Torture' in Incommunicado Detention: Group, 1 May 2020
Radio Free Asia, China Jails Journalist For 15 Years Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, 1 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, China: Further Information: Prisoner Of Conscience Denied Access
To Family: Huang Qi, 30 April 2020
Human Rights Watch, China: Gender Discrimination in Hiring Persists, 29 April 2020
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China-Tibet
Radio Free Asia, Tibetan Political Prisoner Dies at Home After Being Refused Medical Help, 7 May
2020
Radio Free Asia, Tibetan Man Dies After Years of Ill Health Following Torture in Prison, 4 May 2020
China-Xinjiang
Amnesty International campaigns, China: Further Information: Uyghur Academic Reappears On
State-Broadcast: Iminjan Seydin, 11 May 2020
Radio Free Asia, ‘Losing Him Has Been an Attack on Our People’: Remembering Uyghur Religious
Teacher Abdulahad Mahsum, 11 May 2020
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
UNHCR briefing note, Surging violence uproots thousands of people in eastern Congo, 8 May 2020
Amnesty International news, DRC: Alarming research shows long lasting harm from cobalt mine
abuses, 6 May 2020
The New Humanitarian, Rebel splits and failed peace talks drive new violence in Congo’s Ituri, 5 May
2020
Human Rights Watch dispatches, 100 Days in Prison and Counting for Congolese Activist, 29 April
2020
Egypt
Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Further Information: Human Rights Defender Detained And
Tortured: Patrick Zaki George, 11 May 2020
Amnesty International news, Egypt: Court arbitrarily extends the pre-trial detention of over 1,600
defendants, 7 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Further Information: Detained Lawyer At Risk Amid Covid-
19 Outbreak: Mahienour El-Masry, 5 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Further Information: Loss Of Contact With Detained
Journalist, 4 May 2020
Amnesty International news, Egypt: End relentless attacks on journalists and other media workers, 3
May 2020
Human Rights Watch, Egypt: 2 Women Arbitrarily Detained, ‘Disappeared’, 29 April 2020
Ethiopia
Human Rights Watch news, Ethiopia: Free Speech at Risk Amid Covid-19, 6 May 2020
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Amnesty International news, Ethiopia: Forced evictions in Addis Ababa render jobless workers
homeless amid COVID-19, 29 April 2020
Ghana
Human Rights Watch news, Ghana: 1st Covid-19 Case in Psychiatric Hospital, 30 April 2020
India
Amnesty International campaigns, India: Protestors Arrested For Opposing Bigoted Law, 5 May 2020
The New Humanitarian, India debates how to end a lockdown without sparking another emergency,
28 April 2020
Iran
Human Rights Watch news, Iran: Prosecutions for Protests About Plane-Downing, 8 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Iran: Ill-Treated Prisoner Risks Total Paralysis: Hossein Sepanta, 6
May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Iran: Tortured Prisoners In Need Of Medical Care, 30 April 2020
Reporters Without Borders, Iran: Two journalists arrested over cartoon mocking traditional remedies
for coronavirus, 28 April 2020
Iraq
Amnesty International news, Iraq: New government must put human rights at heart of agenda, 8
May 2020
Reporters Without Borders, Murder investigations must be reopened after Kurdish parties accuse
each other, 5 May 2020
Kenya
Amnesty International campaigns, Kenya: Evicted Residents Vulnerable To Covid-19, 7 may 2020
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Protect Kenya’s Journalists Reporting on Covid-19, 4 May 2020
The New Humanitarian, In the news: Flooding sweeps Kenya, displacing thousands, 4 May 2020
Lebanon
Human Rights Watch, Lebanon’s LGBT People Reclaim Their Power, 7 May 2020
Human Rights Watch, Lebanon: One Protester Dead in Tripoli, 29 April 2020
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Libya
Human Rights Watch news, Libya: UAE Strike Kills 8 Civilians, 29 April 2020
The New Humanitarian, Locked down in Libya: One refugee’s reflections on conflict and COVID-19, 29
April 2020
Human Rights Watch, EU: Time to review and remedy cooperation policies facilitating abuse of
refugees and migrants in Libya, 28 April 2020
Malaysia
Reporters Without Borders, Malaysian police investigate reporter who covered Covid-19 arrests, 6
May 2020
Myanmar/Burma
Radio Free Asia, Video Shows Myanmar Forces Beating Five Civilians on Navy Vessel in Rakhine State,
11 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Myanmar: Further Information: Rakhine Journalist Remains In
Hiding: Aung Marm Oo, 7 May 2020
Radio Free Asia, Myanmar Military Column, Artillery Firings Displace Rakhine Villagers, 7 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Myanmar: Further Information: Supporters Of Former Child
Soldier Released Early, 6 May 2020
Human Rights Watch dispatches, No May Day Marches in Myanmar, 30 April 2020
Radio Free Asia, Rakhine Man Reported Tortured to Death by Myanmar Army, 30 April 2020
OHCHR press release, Myanmar: “Possible war crimes and crimes against humanity ongoing in
Rakhine and Chin States” – UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee, 29 April 2020
Nepal
OHCHR press release, Press briefing note on Nepal, 1 May 2020
Nigeria
Amnesty International campaigns, Nigeria: Activist Arrested And Detained: Mubarak Bala, 8 May
2020
Amnesty International research, Nigeria: Authorities Must Protect Health Workers On The Frontline
Of Covid-19 Response, 1 May 2020
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Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs)
UNICEF statement, In light of COVID-19 crisis, UN officials call for immediate release of all children in
detention, including Palestinian children, 11 May 2020
Amnesty International news, Palestine: End arbitrary detention of critics in West Bank and Gaza, 7
May 2020
OHCHR press release, Israeli annexation plans would lead to “cascade of bad human rights
consequences”, says UN expert, 1 May 2020
Pakistan
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Closing Pakistan’s Maternity Wards Puts Women at Risk, 9 May
2020
Human Rights Watch news, Pakistan: Ahmadis Kept Off Minorities Commission, 8 May 2020
Amnesty International news, Pakistan: Authorities Must Be Transparent About COVID-19 Cases in
Prisons, 7 May 2020
Human Rights Watch news, Pakistan: Investigate ‘Disappearance’ of Activist, 4 May 2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Pakistan: Further Information: Fears For Disappeared Human
Rights Defender: Muhammad Idris Khattak, 30 April 2020
Somalia
International Crisis Group briefing, COVID-19 in Somalia: A Public Health Emergency in an Electoral
Minefield, 8 May 2020
UNHCR briefing note, Conflict and heavy floods force tens of thousands of people to flee their homes
in Somalia, amidst COVID-19 threat, 8 May 2020
Reporters Without Borders, Somali TV reporter stabbed to death in Mogadishu, 5 May 2020
Amnesty International news, Facebook: Friend or foe to Somalia’s press freedom, 3 May 2020
Human Rights Watch news, Somalia: Spate of Arrests, Intimidation of Journalists, 2 May 2020
Sri Lanka
Amnesty International research, Sri Lanka: Amid Pandemic, Sri Lanka Pardons Soldier Convicted Of
Massacre, 30 April 2020
Sudan
OHCHR press release, Untold suffering awaits Sudan unless it receives a helping hand – Bachelet, 28
April 2020
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Syria
Amnesty International research, Syria: ‘Nowhere Is Safe For Us’: Unlawful Attacks And Mass
Displacement In North-West Syria, 11 May 2020
OHCHR press release, Syria: Bachelet warns of ‘ticking time-bomb’ as civilian killings mount, 8 May
2020
Amnesty International campaigns, Syrian Torture Trial in Koblenz, Germany - Part 1, 6 May 2020
EASO COI Report, Syria – Security Situation (2020 Update), 5 May 2020
Human Rights Watch dispatches, WHO Should Stand By Appeal for Cross-Border Aid to Syria, 30 April
2020
UNICEF statement, Eleven children reported killed in an attack on a crowded market in Afrin,
northern Syria, 29 April 2020
Human Rights Watch news, Syria: Aid Restrictions Hinder Covid-19 Response, 28 April 2020
Turkey
Amnesty International news, Turkey: COVID-19 pandemic increases climate of fear for journalists, 1
May 2020
Human Rights Watch, Turkey: Enforced Disappearances, Torture, 29 April 2020
Uganda
Human Rights Watch news, Uganda: Drop Charges Against 19 Homeless Youth, 11 May 2020
Human Rights Watch news, Uganda: Opposition Leader Reported Tortured by Police, 28 April 2020
Ukraine
Reporters Without Borders, Ukrainian police attack reporter covering protest against Covid-19
lockdown, 7 May 2020
Vietnam
Radio Free Asia, Vietnam’s Top Court Rejects Request to Reinvestigate Death-row Inmate’s Case, 11
May 2020
Radio Free Asia, Vietnamese Man Arrested For Gambling Dies in Jailhouse Beating, 8 May 2020
Radio Free Asia, Vietnamese Facebook User Hit With Five-Year Prison Term Amid Tightening
Restrictions on Press Freedoms, 28 April 2020
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Yemen
The New Humanitarian, COVID-19 in Yemen, pandemic aid costings, and military executions: The
Cheat Sheet, 8 May 2020
Amnesty International news, Yemen: Journalists at risk of execution must be freed to mark World
Press Freedom Day, 1 May 2020
International Crisis Group commentary, Heading Off a Renewed Struggle for Yemen’s South, 29 April
2020
UNICEF Press Release, Over 5 million children face threat of cholera and acute water diarrhea in the
midst of COVID-19 as Yemen gets heavy rains, 29 April 2020
International Federation for Human Rights statement, Yemen: Urgent Measures Needed to Protect
Civilians from COVID-19, 28 April 2020
Zimbabwe
Amnesty International news, The devastating effects of COVID-19 on maternal health in Zimbabwe,
29 April 2020
Sources consulted: Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Institute for War and Peace
Reporting; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC); International Crisis Group; International
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR); The New
Humanitarian; Radio Free Asia; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Reporters Without Borders; UN
Agencies, Committees, Special Rapporteurs and news.
Sources consulted for annual reports: Amnesty International; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch;
U.S. Department of State
Additional useful COI databases for case-specific country research (non-exhaustive):
o Asylos’s research notes [Subscription only] o COI Forum [Subscription only] o EASO COI Portal [European Asylum Support Office’s portal] o Electronic Immigration Network [Subscription only] o ECOI.net [European Country of Origin Information Network] o Refworld [UNHCR’s portal] o ReliefWeb
For useful sources arranged by theme consult ARC Foundation’s free Thematic COI Sources toolkit.