Refugee rights
Many people think that once people fleeing torture arrive in the UK, they are safe and can get on with their lives. That is not always the case. We work with torture survivors to raise awareness and campaign for survivors' rights as refugees in the UK.
In recent years, the UK has experienced unprecedented political attacks on the principle of refugee protection and on the system that is in place to process claims for asylum. Survivors of torture face a continued risk that they will not receive effective protection in the UK. They may even be removed to countries where they face persecution or return to the hands of their torturers.
People fleeing torture and war deserve our safety and protection, and they must have access to a fair and compassionate asylum system. It’s time for those in power to deliver on their commitment to provide protection to those who need it and to uphold vital international obligations.
As well as leading an anti-torture movement, we campaign on three main issues that affect torture survivors living in the UK.
- Right to asylum and compliance with international law. People fleeing torture and arriving in the UK seeking safety should not be punished purely for moving across borders without pre-authorisation. They should have access to an asylum decision-making process in the UK and not be at risk of being returned to their country of origin or removed to a third country, without consideration of their asylum claim.
- Fair, efficient and compassionate decision-making process. All people seeking safety in the UK should have their claim for protection heard fairly, as quickly as possible, and with all the necessary safeguards to ensure the right decision is made.
- Retaining safeguards that prevent harm to survivors of torture in the UK asylum system. Essential policy protections should ensure that torture survivors are accommodated in suitable housing without being required to share a bedroom. Additional protections guarantee that medical evidence be accessible to survivors and handled appropriately when making an asylum decision. We fight to ensure these safeguards are not removed or weakened and are applied correctly.
