Zimbabwe removals suspended
The Home Office has suspended the removal of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe in the wake of two court cases.
Removals will cease until a High Court hearing on August 4th when the government hopes the issue will be resolved.
The Home Office said it had taken the decision following comments by two senior judges, but would not be changing its overall policy.
Last week Mr Justice Collins urged home secretary Charles Clarke to block deportations until a series of test cases had been heard to establish the legality of returning individuals to Zimbabwe.
And this was followed on Wednesday by a similar call from Mr Justice Ouseley.
He had been hearing a plea from a Zimbabwean asylum seeker, who cannot be removed because he has brought forward judicial review proceedings, on behalf of other failed asylum seekers held in detention.
Last night the a spokesman for the Home Office said: “Our policy on enforcing the return of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe has not changed … However, out of respect and courtesy for the fact that two judges have commented on this issue, we feel it is appropriate not to enforce the return of failed asylum seekers prior to the court hearing on August 4th when we hope the issue can be fully resolved.”
Nearly 40 failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers, who had been protesting at their planned removal by going on a hunger strike, have temporarily suspended their action pending the case at the High Court.
Earlier this month Mr Clarke said the government would continue to assess each individual on a case-by-case basis.
A two-year ban on forced removals to Zimbabwe was lifted in November 2004.
