Around the world, torture is used by oppressive governments and armed groups to silence, humiliate and persecute. And it could happen to anyone.
In Syria, Thamer was imprisoned and beaten for alerting journalists to a war crime. In Iran, Faryad was locked up and raped for standing up for women’s rights. In Cameroon, Jay was brutally abused by police simply for being gay.
The UK has a proud tradition of standing up and protecting the world’s most vulnerable people. But right now, when brave refugees like Thamer, Faryad and Jay arrive in the UK, they are too often faced with rejection.
Proving what has been done to them is becoming near impossible, even when they present extensive medical evidence.
Bureaucracy and poor decision making mean that torture survivors can be wrongly refused asylum and they experience months and often years of disbelief and uncertainty.
For many people, it’s life or death. If they’re sent back, they could face further violence or worse.
Please tell the Home Secretary Amber Rudd to make sure that when people who have survived horrific violence submit medical evidence, it is given a fair assessment in their asylum claim.
I call on Home Secretary Amber Rudd to give people who have been tortured the protection they deserve. Medical evidence of the horrific violence they have survived must be quickly and fairly assessed to avoid delays and mistakes in their asylum claim, allowing them to focus on their recovery.
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Sincerely,
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