LHR ASKS COURT TO ORDER HOME AFFAIRS TO GO FETCH UNLAWFULLY DEPORTED ASYLUM SEEKER FROM DRC

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) will ask the South Gauteng High Court today (Friday) for the return of a Congolese asylum seeker who was unlawfully deported by the Department of Home Affairs from South Africa last month. 

LHR had previously brought an urgent application on his behalf to the court for his release from the Lindela Detention Facility only to be informed at court that he had been deported two days before.  In our view, this is a clear violation of his right to access the courts in terms of the Constitution as well as the international law principle prohibiting the deportation of asylum seekers from a country of refuge. Our client fled the DRC in fear of his life due to the conflict in that country. Due to security reasons client's name is being witheld.

LHR will ask the court to order that the Department of Home Affairs returns him to South Africa. 

For more information, please contact:

Jacob van Garderen

Director: Lawyers for Human Rights

012-320-2943/ 082-820-3960

Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh

Coordinator: LHR Refugee and Migrants Project

011-339-1960