Amnesty International welcomed today’s decision taken by the Court of Appeal to overturn the Home Office’s plan to forcibly return three rejected Darfuri asylum seekers to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Amnesty International’s UK Director Kate Allen said:

“Amnesty International welcomes the decision taken by the Court of Appeal to allow these people to stay. It is frankly impossible to understand how the British Government could even consider returning people to Sudan when we know of the atrocities taking place in Darfur.

“Forcing Darfuris to return to Khartoum would put their lives at risk, as they may face the threat of torture, arrest and detention. The correct decision was made today by the UK Court of Appeal.”

Since the conflict in Darfur began in 2003, some 85,000 people have been killed, around 200,000 have died as a result of hunger or disease and thousands of Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights and girls have been raped. As well as that more than 2.5 million people have had to flee their homes including 230,000 to neighbouring Chad.

Kate Allen continued:

“We would urge the Home Office not to challenge today’s ruling and to grant these asylum seekers refuge here.”

Amnesty International insisted that it is not safe to forcibly return Darfuris to anywhere in Sudan, (failed asylum seekers from Darfur especially those from) ‘African’ ethnic groups may face a serious risk of human rights abuses including arrest and detention and torture on suspicion of being a supporter or sympathiser of an opposition group. In addition, According to the UN, the vast majority have no access to minimum basic services.

Background information

In 2006, 580 Sudanese people applied for asylum in the UK and only 30 were recognised as refugees. 35 people were given discretionary leave to remain on appeal. 510 were refused, 375 fully refused and 105 on safe third country grounds and 30 appeals were allowed.

• Find out more about our work on the Sudan (Darfur) crisis