Case summaries

Germany - High Administrative Court of Bavaria, 21 October 2010, 13a B 08.30304
Country of applicant: Iraq

The applicant is not entitled to protection from deportation within the meaning of Section 60 (7) (2) of the Residence Act / Art 15 (c) of the Qualification Directive as the levels of indiscriminate violence in his home area are not characterised by a sufficient "density of danger".

Date of decision: 21-10-2010
Belgium – Council for Alien Law litigation, 20 October 2010, Nr. 49.821
Country of applicant: Macedonia

This case concerned the concept of “particular social group." The CALL held that persons of the same sex can, in certain societies, be considered as a “particular social group.” The applicant, a victim of forced prostitution, was granted international protection on the basis of her belonging to the social group of women.

Date of decision: 20-10-2010
ECtHR – Dbouba v. Turkey, Application No. 15916/09, 13 October 2010
Country of applicant: Tunisia
The applicant, a Tunisian national who has been recognised as a refugee by the UNHCR, faced deportation by Turkey to Tunisia, where he risks ill-treatment and the death penalty. He has not had access to an effective remedy with regards to this, nor has he been allowed to challenge the lawfulness of his detention. By virtue of the applicant’s proposed return to Tunisia the Court found a violation of Article 3 ECHR in conjunction with Article 13. The Court also found a violation of articles 5(1), 5(2), 5(4) and 5(5) ECHR.
 
Date of decision: 13-10-2010
ECtHR- D.B. v. Turkey, Application no. 33526/08, 13 October 2010
Country of applicant: Turkey

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that Turkey had violated Article 5 para 1 and 4 of the Convention with regards to the applicant’s unlawful detention and lack of remedy to challenge the lawfulness of his deprivation of liberty. Further, it found a violation of Article 34.

Date of decision: 13-10-2010
ECtHR- D.B. v. Turkey, Application no. 33526/08, 13 October 2010
Country of applicant: Iran

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that Turkey had violated Article 5 para 1 and 4 of the Convention with regards to the applicant’s unlawful detention and lack of remedy to challenge the lawfulness of his deprivation of liberty. Further, it found a violation of Article 34.

Date of decision: 13-10-2010
UK - House of Lords, 11 October 2010, R (Bagdanavicius) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (UKHL) [2005] UKHL 38
Country of applicant: Lithuania

The House of Lords confirmed that in addition to establishing a real risk of harm, the applicant would also have to show that their state has failed to provide reasonable protection. 

Date of decision: 11-10-2010
ECtHR - Rantsev v. Cyprus and Russia, Application no. 25965/04, 10 October 2010
Country of applicant: Russia

Trafficking in human beings falls under the prohibition of Art. 4 of the Convention.  Consequently, state parties have the positive obligation:

  1. to adopt an adequate and comprehensive legal framework to combat this criminal offence;  
  2. to undertake protective measures whenever the authorities are aware or ought to have been aware of a serious risk of a person being subject to trafficking;
  3. and to appropriately  investigate situations of potential trafficking. 
Date of decision: 10-10-2010
Austria - Constitutional Court, 9 October 2010, U1046/10
Country of applicant: Nigeria

The withdrawal of practical protection against deportation for subsequent applications is lawful and does not represent an infringement of the right to an effective remedy (Art 13 ECHR), if the legality of the withdrawal is examined by the Asylum Court.

Date of decision: 09-10-2010
Austria - Constitutional Court, 7 October 2010, U694/10
Country of applicant: Afghanistan

The Constitutional Court allowed an appeal against a decision to expel a single mother and her three minor children to Greece. It is necessary that Greece ensure appropriate accommodation will be provided for vulnerable persons in each case. The applicants are vulnerable persons and the lack of assurance from Greece, therefore, gave rise to a real risk of a violation of Art 3 ECHR.

Date of decision: 07-10-2010
Austria- Constitutional Court, 02 October 2010, U3078/09
Country of applicant: Russia

The Applicant submitted applications for the assignment of a legal adviser and legal aid at the same time as his appeal. The Asylum Court rejected the appeal and the applications for the assignment of a legal adviser and legal aid as inadmissible. The Constitutional Court of Austria revoked this finding with reference to Art 15 Procedures Directive: the Asylum Court should not have been permitted to reject the applications for the assignment of a legal adviser and legal aid, but should have pronounced a judgment on the merits by means of a separate decision that could be challenged with a legal remedy.

Date of decision: 02-10-2010