Refusal of refugee tribunal to grant refugee status a 'breach of fair procedures'

An article in the Irish Times from Thursday, 19^th July 2012, reports that the High Court quashed an order refusing a Kosovan man refugee status. Mr Justice McDermott ruled that the case should be returned to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal to be reheard.

The man is a member of the minority gypsy Ashkali group, and he claimed in court that he was shot in the leg by Albanians outside his home in Kosovo in a racially motivated attack. The court denied him the ability to present medical records detailing the injury he acquired in the shooting on the grounds that his account of the shooting was implausible. He was not granted refugee status, and he appealed that decision to the high court.

Mr Justice McDermott ruled that this was a breach of fair procedures, and that the Refugee Appeals Tribunal was required to wait until the “expiration of a period allowed for the furnishing of medical reports” in order to refuse the documents.

Brophy Solicitors

24.07.12

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0719/1224320380859.html