Afran, a young Iranian asylum seeker who recently returned to the UK hit the headlines. This made him the first real victim of the controversial “one in, one out” return scheme that had returned him to France before. The new policy announced today is intended to deter people from applying for asylum by flying people to France as soon as other people arrive in the UK. Afran’s harrowing journey paints a picture of the mental and emotional toll on those seeking refuge in a foreign land.
Afran’s woes started back in his native Bangladesh, where he first began fleeing persecution in 2018. His path took him to northern France, where he was targeted with violence and intimidation by smugglers. Desperate to change his environment, he took a dangerous journey towards the UK. He made his first crossing of the English Channel on August 6th.
After being detained in a UK immigration detention center as soon he touched down in the UK, Afran was desperate and scared. He found it difficult to eat or sleep, overtaken with fear about his lost future. The experience was exacerbated by the prison-like detention center where he was held.
“I witnessed four people attempting suicide,” – a Syrian man in detention.
On release Afran was sent back to France under the “one in, one out” policy. This scheme has rightly been condemned as callous and inhumane, particularly to vulnerable asylum seekers. Afran freed himself from the clutches of the traffickers. Upon returning, an antagonistic climate greeted him.
His homecoming, as it turned out, would be full of obstacles. After returning late from a medical appointment, Afran found the gates to a Paris shelter locked after arriving on time. Denied shelter, he was made to sleep outdoors and was later beaten on October 23.
“If the security at the Paris shelter had allowed me back inside when I returned from a medical appointment, I would not have been attacked,” – Afran.
This nightmare has led Afran to be terrified of being sent back to France again. He shared his concern that he would be sought for attack by the smugglers who had already beaten him.
“When the Home Office returned me here the first time I believed the smugglers were still searching for me. I continue to believe that. I am frightened every time I go outside the shelter. I am not safe here,” – Afran.
Afran’s mental health reached a particularly acute crisis point during his years in detention. But before traveling to the UK, he’d reported feeling sane. But ever since, he has dealt with persistent anxiety and anguish as he adapts to a future that remains up in the air.
Lochlinn Parker, Advocacy Manager for Asylum Seekers with the charity Refugee Action, condemned the Home Office’s method of processing cases like Afran’s. He highlighted that the Home Office is dangerously and illegally removing asylum seekers to France in a hurry. This action removes their ability to advocate on their behalf and puts them under tremendous emotional duress. The outcome of this sketchy pastime is that some of our most vulnerable citizens, including trafficking survivors, are marooned in prison-like conditions. They do so knowing that they now must confront the terrible prospect of being evicted by violence.
Afran’s case is not the only one that reveals the implications of the “one in, one out” policy. It testifies to the mistreatment of asylum seekers and the lack of security with which they will be returned to France. Hundreds felt Afran’s fears about not being safe as they face a tangled web of immigration bureaucracy.
“France, UK, France, UK, France – it’s not my choice,” – Afran.
For Afran and many others who have fled violence and persecution, this is the harsh truth. Rather than finding refuge and care, they find themselves ensnared in a matrix of hopelessness. This revolving door of deportation fosters a sense of hopelessness and neglect among asylum seekers.
For many asylum seekers such as Afran, the journey continues after their search for safety. It really is a beautiful, powerful struggle for recognition, for dignity. They hope for a future full of opportunities to rebuild their life away from trauma and hostility.
“When I reached the UK I thought I would be safe, but they locked me up in a detention centre. The country I thought would be a haven for me was the first one to lock me up. They took my strength away. I am not asking for a passport from the UK; I just want to be safe and to be with my family,” – a woman also affected by the policy.