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UK - Court of Appeal, 28 October 1999, Danian v Secretary of State for the Home Department [1999] EWCA Civ 3000
Country of applicant: Nigeria
Keywords: Refugee sur place

The 1951 Refugee Convention should not be interpreted so that a refugee sur place who has acted in bad faith is excluded from its protection and can be deported to his home country notwithstanding that he or she has a genuine and well-founded fear of persecution for a Convention reason and there is a real risk that such persecution may take place. Although such an applicant’s credibility is likely to be low and the claim must be rigorously scrutinised, he or she is still entitled to the protection of the Convention if a well-founded fear of persecution is accepted. 

Date of decision: 28-10-1999
Relevant International and European Legislation: EN - Qualification Directive, Directive 2004/83/EC of 29 April 2004,Art 5,Art 4,EN - Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,Article 3
UK - House of Lords, 2 April 1998, Secretary of State for the Home Department, Ex parte Adan, [1998] UKHL 15
Country of applicant: Somalia
Keywords: Circumstances ceased to exist, Indiscriminate violence, Persecution (acts of)
A person who leaves his own country because of a well-founded fear of being persecuted for a Convention reason and later is unable, or, owing to that fear is unwilling, to avail himself of that country's protection even when the grounds for his fear have gone, does not have the status of a refugee.
 
In addition, in a State where there is a civil war when law and order has broken down and every group is fighting one another for political power then, to be entitled to refugee status, a group or individual the individual or group has to show a well-founded fear of persecution over and above the risk to life and liberty inherent in the civil war.
Date of decision: 02-04-1998
Relevant International and European Legislation: EN - Qualification Directive, Directive 2004/83/EC of 29 April 2004,1951 Refugee Convention,Art 1A (2),Art 9,UNHCR Handbook,Para 164
UK - Court of Appeal, 13 February 1998, Lazarevic v Secretary of State For Home Department [1997] EWCA Civ 1007; [1997] Imm AR 251
Country of applicant: Somalia
Keywords: Persecution (acts of), Nationality

The Court of Appeal held that an asylum-seeker unable to return to his country of origin may indeed be entitled to recognition as a refugee provided only that the fear or actuality of past persecution still plays a causative part in his or her presence here. Further, the refusal of the State of nationality to permit return can constitute persecution.

Date of decision: 13-02-1998
Relevant International and European Legislation: EN - Qualification Directive, Directive 2004/83/EC of 29 April 2004,1951 Refugee Convention,Art 1A (2),Art 4,Art 1C (5),UNHCR Handbook,Para 91,Para 164,Para 98,Para 99,Para 168
UK - Immigration Appeal Tribunal, 10 June 1994, Kaja (Political asylum; standard of proof) (Zaire) [1994] UKIAT 11038
Country of applicant: Congo (DRC)
Keywords: Assessment of facts and circumstances, Standard of proof
The Immigration Appeal Tribunal (IAT) addressed the question of whether the assessment of facts and the determination of refugee status involved a two stage process with different standards of proof. The standard of proof for the assessment of status is “reasonable degree of likelihood.”
Date of decision: 10-06-1994
Relevant International and European Legislation: EN - Qualification Directive, Directive 2004/83/EC of 29 April 2004,1951 Refugee Convention,Art 4,Art 1A,UNHCR Handbook,Para 42