The hunger strike by Indian man Nadim Hussain to remain in Ireland has reached day four. Hussaini has been staying in Ireland for last three years under Direct Provision in Cork.
Last month, he received a letter from the International Protection Appeal Tribunal (IPAT) which stated that he should be refused a declaration as a refugee along with subsidiary protection status. He pleaded the authorities to give permission to continue his stay but no actions had been made. Following this, he started hunger strike four days ago.
According to a report by the Irish Examiner, Mr. Hussain said he fears for his life if he was to be deported to his home country of India. He said that both of his parents were killed in riots in West Bengal before he came to Ireland in 2018.
He also had staged a protest before Leinster House last week along with other asylum seekers. There he announced his decision to go on hunger strike.
Speaking on the asylum seeking process in Ireland, a spokesperson for Nasc said the timeline for a decision for those seeking leave to remain can vary. With leave to remain, a “host of factors” are considered, and it can be difficult to “pin down” why individuals are granted leave to remain.
Permission to remain can be granted to people who have been refused a refuge or subsidiary protection declaration but who are not returned home for humanitarian or other compelling reasons.
According to the Department of Justice, the permission to remain process includes a full consideration of their private and family rights in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights as well as consideration of their work situation, among other issues.
Under international human rights law, the principle of non-refoulement guarantees that no one should be returned to a country where they would face torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and other irreparable harm.
Source: Irish Examiner.