When talking about political asylum many headline stories come in to the picture such as Edward Snowdan, Julian Assange (founder of Wikileaks, a website exploiting classified information online), and Chen Guangcheng, a legal activist in China whose primary purpose was that of human rights in rural areas of China. To the average person reading these headlines fail to see the hidden truth behind asylum.
Those who seek political asylum are those who fear the threat of prosecution in their own countries and in some circumstances their lives. Political asylum nowadays is seen as a right rather than a privilege to live in a foreign country as they seek protection.
Fear for your life
In order to be given the right to claim asylum there has to be a genuine fear. This fear must involve a fear of persecution. Persecution includes a wide variety from violation of the individual’s human rights, to unjustly imprisoning them for their political beliefs and also being subjected to inhumane treatment. Applicants who apply for political asylum must be the victim, not the causes of the political upraise in their country.
In search for a better life”
Many can no longer bare the pain and suffering that they have faced in their own countries and due to the strength some opposition leaders have, one word against their regimes can be seen as blasphemy in certain parts of the world we live in. Those certain individuals strive in search for a more peaceful life in other country’s, a country that can protect them from political violence and further persecution.
Deep inside the grey area of political asylum lays a foundation of persecution a thick layer of fear and topping of a more peaceful life, however will the taste of political asylum be sweet in other country’s or is this still a recipe for disaster as another country such as the U.K bear the responsibility of protection and other aspects to keep the peace.
Vinesh Patel, Paralegal