Saturday, 20 December 2014 00:31
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Japan has deported 26 Sri Lankans including asylum seekers on Thursday, after their applications for refugee status were rejected.
The Government of Japan has determined that they did not qualify for refugee status, rejecting each individual’s application twice, a Japan Times report said.
Lawyers and activists have denounced the Government’s move, which also led to the deportation of six Vietnamese nationals, as “inhumane.”
The immigrants’ lobby group Provisional Release Association in Japan (PRAJ) has said that it is believed to be the first time the Government has deported asylum seekers and visa overstayers using the same flight.
Lawyers have slammed the move as dangerous for the individuals involved because some of them, including at least one political dissident, presented a “fairly believable” story of persecution.
According to the report, after being notified of their second rejection, asylum seekers are usually given six months to consider filing a lawsuit aimed at getting the state to reverse its decision. But Thursday’s deportation has not provided the asylum seekers with sufficient time even to resort to the judiciary. The lawyers have said.
The activists have expressed concern that these asylum seekers may face great danger of persecution by the Government back home due to their political activities.
The 32 people deported Thursday were mostly men aged between 25 and 64.
The program of mass deportations began in July 2013 as a cost-cutting initiative.
