Programme News
22 July 2015
(News)
ALMOST a third of the people who have to deal with SA’s refugee reception offices have been asked for bribes, a new report suggests.
It details the extent of corruption in the refugee-and asylum-seeking process and concludes that corruption in this area is "very serious".
The report, to be released on Wednesday by Lawyers for Human Rights and the African Centre for Migration and...
22 July 2015
(News)
A report on corruption levels in South Africa’s asylum-seeking system, called Queue Here for Corruption, has found that almost one-third of refugees have experienced corruption at a refugee reception office. But it doesn’t begin there: the report finds that refugees are at the mercy of corrupt officials from the second they enter South Africa, a trend that continues as they attempt to...
13 July 2015
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights would like to invite you to attend its one-day seminar within the framework of this year’s Public Interest Law Gathering being held at the Wits Law School from 22-24 July 2015. This seminar will focus on refugee and migrants’ rights, with special attention on xenophobic violence that took place earlier this year. Please find the official programme attached....
13 July 2015
(News)
Although the Department of Home Affairs claimed new visa regulations were needed to protect tens of thousands of children who were trafficked in South Africa, it now appears it was a gross exaggeration.
Home Affairs has for some time quoted a figure of 30,000 children being trafficked in or through South Africa annually to justify the draconian new visa regulations, which have the tourism...
10 July 2015
(News)
The High Court in Pretoria has ruled that foreign children who enter South Africa with a relative who qualifies as an asylum seeker should be included as a dependent.
The ruling was made on Thursday, said Zita Hansungule of the Centre for Child Law in a statement.
"This gives the child immediate protection and ensures that they are not separated from people with whom they have a relationship...
1 July 2015
(News)
On 24 June the Pretoria High Court struck from the roll an application by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) that tried to put an urgent end to Operation Fiela. Lara Wallis explains why this is deeply concerning.
As Operation Fiela has swept through the country, it has violated the rights of many people, both South Africans and foreigners. LHR’s urgent application to interdict unlawful search...
25 June 2015
(News)
Stereotypes and myths have largely informed South Africans’ views on issues of migration and foreign nationals. These myths perpetuate xenophobia in South Africa and are used seemingly as a basis for policy decisions around migration.
Extensive research by institutions such as the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) and African Centre for Migration and Society has gone a long way in...
24 June 2015
(Press release)
The urgent high court application to interdict the government from continuing with Operation Fiela-Reclaim raids unless legislative provisions are adhered to has been removed from the urgent roll in the high court in Pretoria.
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) brought the challenge in light of grave concerns around the legality of Operation Fiela-Reclaim - a joint operation conducted by the police,...
24 June 2015
(News)
Beliefs that foreigners "steal" our jobs and drain services fuel xenophobia and inform government policy. LHR dissects three myths about SA migrants.
Laywers for Human Rights has seen an alarming number of police operations aimed at closing down migrant-owned businesses. (M&G, Paul Botes)
Stereotypes and myths have largely informed South Africans’ views on issues of migration...
22 June 2015
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) has launched a high court challenge against the way in which Operation Fiela-Reclaim is being conducted across the country.
LHR is seeking an order declaring that the way in which this operation has been conducted in people’s homes is unlawful and unconstitutional to the extent that they were carried out without proper compliance with the need for...