Deportations Could Lead To Torture Or Death

Three asylum seekers are facing deportation to countries where they will likely be tortured and possibly executed.

DV spoke with the three, who are from Iraq, Sudan and Nigeria, respectively. They are going to be deported based on the Dublin Regulation, which gives signatory countries the right to deport asylum seekers to their previous point of departure, although these countries are not obligated to do so.

In addition, they have waited in Iceland for over two years for any decision to be made on their cases – despite the fact that this violates Article 19 of the Dublin Regulation itself, which sets a legal limit of one year for asylum seeker application processing.

Two of the asylum seekers have reportedly appealed their cases, although by all indications they will be deported anyway before the matter can be brought before court.

The three are very worried that if sent back to their home countries, they will be tortured and possibly executed, as the threat of these punishments were the reason they sought asylum in Iceland in the first place.

“All I ask is that my application be seriously considered,” said Eze Okafor of Nigeria. “Anything else is inhuman.”