Teen asylum seeker to be paid damages by Government

A 16 year old asylum seeker from Sudan was detained as an adult on the basis of appearance alone.  He was deprived of his liberty because the officer said he ‘reasonably believed’ he was over 18 and not a child exempt from detention. The Court of Appeal has rejected a challenge by the Home Secretary after the High Court ruled the 16-year-old was entitled to damages.

Rebecca Hilsenrath, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: ‘A culture of disbelief in our asylum system is putting children at risk. Children claiming asylum must be treated as children until proven otherwise, and must not be detained or held with adults. Britain has a long history of helping refugees from around the world, but this is put at risk if we cannot protect those who are most vulnerable.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4297382/Government-pay-damages-Sudanese-asylum-seeker-16.html#ixzz4cnwIewje

 

 

Image credit: Takver, Flickr