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| Refugees stranded on UK military bases in Cyprus given fresh hope | Refugees stranded on UK military bases in Cyprus given fresh hope |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More than 30 refugees who have been stranded in UK sovereign military bases in Cyprus since 1998 have been given fresh hope of finding a permanent home in Britain. | More than 30 refugees who have been stranded in UK sovereign military bases in Cyprus since 1998 have been given fresh hope of finding a permanent home in Britain. |
| The high court in London has ordered the home secretary, Theresa May, to reconsider her refusal to allow the six families entry on grounds she did not consider all the relevant circumstances. | The high court in London has ordered the home secretary, Theresa May, to reconsider her refusal to allow the six families entry on grounds she did not consider all the relevant circumstances. |
| The ruling is a partial victory for the families – originally from Iraq, Sudan, Ethiopia and Syria – who left the coast of Lebanon in a fishing boat operated by smugglers in the hope of making an Italian landfall. After a few days at sea in October 1998, however, the engine failed and the smugglers abandoned the vessel. The refugees managed to steer the boat towards the nearest visible land – beaching close to the RAF’s Akrotiri military airfield. | The ruling is a partial victory for the families – originally from Iraq, Sudan, Ethiopia and Syria – who left the coast of Lebanon in a fishing boat operated by smugglers in the hope of making an Italian landfall. After a few days at sea in October 1998, however, the engine failed and the smugglers abandoned the vessel. The refugees managed to steer the boat towards the nearest visible land – beaching close to the RAF’s Akrotiri military airfield. |
| Related: 'We're in limbo': the families marooned at a British military base for 16 years | Related: 'We're in limbo': the families marooned at a British military base for 16 years |
| The six families, some of whom have had children while living in the territory of the UK military bases, were assessed as being entitled to refugee status. Although the government disputed that the 1951 refugee convention applied, it agreed to act within its spirit. | The six families, some of whom have had children while living in the territory of the UK military bases, were assessed as being entitled to refugee status. Although the government disputed that the 1951 refugee convention applied, it agreed to act within its spirit. |
| The families were provided with support and given accommodation previously used by British soliders. The UK government subsequently encouraged them to move out of the bases and into the neighbouring republic of Cyprus. The families declined to move, because they were worried about losing their refugee status and argued that they were the UK’s responsibility. | The families were provided with support and given accommodation previously used by British soliders. The UK government subsequently encouraged them to move out of the bases and into the neighbouring republic of Cyprus. The families declined to move, because they were worried about losing their refugee status and argued that they were the UK’s responsibility. |
| The home secretary’s 2014 decision to deny them entry has now formally been quashed by the court. The judge, Mr Justice Foskett, ordered May to retake her decision in light of the judgment and all relevant up-to-date factors, including concerns expressed by the UN high commissioner for refugees about Cyprus’s ability to receive the refugees. | The home secretary’s 2014 decision to deny them entry has now formally been quashed by the court. The judge, Mr Justice Foskett, ordered May to retake her decision in light of the judgment and all relevant up-to-date factors, including concerns expressed by the UN high commissioner for refugees about Cyprus’s ability to receive the refugees. |
| Foskett said: “It is to be hoped that for the sake of everyone concerned, particularly the young people involved, active and perhaps bold steps will be taken by all relevant parties to seek a solution without further recourse to prolonged legal proceedings. The need to find a permanent solution has been clear for a very long time. It is even more urgent now.” | Foskett said: “It is to be hoped that for the sake of everyone concerned, particularly the young people involved, active and perhaps bold steps will be taken by all relevant parties to seek a solution without further recourse to prolonged legal proceedings. The need to find a permanent solution has been clear for a very long time. It is even more urgent now.” |
| Last year a shipload of 115 new refugees washed up on the shore of the Akrotiri base, prompting claims that a new Mediterranean migration route was about to be opened up. | Last year a shipload of 115 new refugees washed up on the shore of the Akrotiri base, prompting claims that a new Mediterranean migration route was about to be opened up. |
| The legal challenge on behalf of the 1998 arrivals was brought by Tessa Gregory, a solicitor at the London law firm Leigh Day. She said: “The government can now avoid further costly legal proceedings by allowing this small group of recognised refugees to resettle in the UK. To do so would not create a dangerous precedent or a back door to the UK, it would simply be a humanitarian response in recognition of the unique circumstances of these families. | The legal challenge on behalf of the 1998 arrivals was brought by Tessa Gregory, a solicitor at the London law firm Leigh Day. She said: “The government can now avoid further costly legal proceedings by allowing this small group of recognised refugees to resettle in the UK. To do so would not create a dangerous precedent or a back door to the UK, it would simply be a humanitarian response in recognition of the unique circumstances of these families. |
| Related: UN backlash against call to scale back Geneva convention on refugees | Related: UN backlash against call to scale back Geneva convention on refugees |
| “It is extraordinary that successive UK governments have allowed this situation to fester for so long leaving the children of refugees to grow up in increasingly hopeless and squalid conditions. We hope that the home secretary will now do the right thing. Until she does, we will continue to seek the only lawful durable solution: resettlement of our clients in the UK.” | “It is extraordinary that successive UK governments have allowed this situation to fester for so long leaving the children of refugees to grow up in increasingly hopeless and squalid conditions. We hope that the home secretary will now do the right thing. Until she does, we will continue to seek the only lawful durable solution: resettlement of our clients in the UK.” |
| The lead claimant in the case, Tag Bashir, said: “We hope that with today’s judgment we are one step closer to providing our children with a decent future. I was 26 years old when I came to [the sovereign base] Arae and for 17 years I have been trying to work and build a life for my family but there is nothing here. | The lead claimant in the case, Tag Bashir, said: “We hope that with today’s judgment we are one step closer to providing our children with a decent future. I was 26 years old when I came to [the sovereign base] Arae and for 17 years I have been trying to work and build a life for my family but there is nothing here. |
| “I worry every day about my three children and how this situation and the uncertainty is affecting them. I hope the UK government will finally recognise that we are their responsibility and allow us to come to the UK where our only wish is to work hard and integrate into society.” | “I worry every day about my three children and how this situation and the uncertainty is affecting them. I hope the UK government will finally recognise that we are their responsibility and allow us to come to the UK where our only wish is to work hard and integrate into society.” |
| A Home Office spokesperson said: “We welcome today’s judgment, which upholds the government’s longstanding policy to only consider asylum claims lodged in the UK. | |
| “We are clear that we are under no obligation to extend our asylum process to individuals or groups outside the UK, including those on the Sovereign Base Areas.” |