Do we need a new system? A horrifying attack in London last week has started a debate about whether it is too easy for criminals to gain asylum in Britain.
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Chemical attack sparks anger over UK asylum
Do we need a new system? A horrifying attack in London last week has started a debate about whether it is too easy for criminals to gain asylum in Britain.
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What's happening?
Last Wednesday, a man attacked a woman and her two children in south London before escaping. The attack was very violent. The woman and children are still recovering.
The man was Abdul Ezedi, a 35-year-old man from AfghanistanA mountainous Asian country, slightly larger than France, whose neighbours include Pakistan, Iran and China.. He was given asylumWhen a state agrees to shelter somebody who is fleeing dangerous circumstances. The right to asylum is protected in international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention. in the UK, even though he was convictedFound guilty of a crime in a court. of a sexual offence in 2018.
The attack has started a new debate about Britain's system for asylum seekersPeople who have left their countries due to danger and are seeking refuge elsewhere. . Here are five key facts:
Real refugees. Refugees are people who leave their own country because they are in danger. Once they have arrived in a safe country, they can apply for the right to stay.
Living locally. Most refugees (72%) live in one of the countries next to their home country.
Victims and the vulnerable. In total, 41% of refugees are children.
State support. Refugees seeking asylum are not allowed to work.
Find out more
Legal status. There is no legalSomething that is legal is allowed by the law. way to travel to the UK when seeking asylum.
Many of those working with asylum seekers say that the system can be very slow. The UNUnited Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security.'s refugee agency warned that staff in the UK did not have enough training or resources to look through applicationsAn official request for something. Also, 'applications', or 'programmes' are processes that work with stored information to produce the desired result. To watch a film on a computer, for example, you need an application to turn the raw data (stored as 1s and 0s) into a picture on your screen..
This problem will not go away. In fact, the number of refugees worldwide went up last year. The UK will need an asylum system that works for everyone.
Do we need a new system?
Yes! Nobody should be given asylum after they have been convicted of a serious crime. This shows that the current system is not working. It is also not working for the thousands of refugees who are waiting to learn about their future.
No! Although it is very shocking, this is just one event. It should not change how we think about the system. Asylum seekers are people in great need.
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Keywords
Afghanistan - A mountainous Asian country, slightly larger than France, whose neighbours include Pakistan, Iran and China.
Asylum - When a state agrees to shelter somebody who is fleeing dangerous circumstances. The right to asylum is protected in international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Convicted - Found guilty of a crime in a court.
Asylum seekers - People who have left their countries due to danger and are seeking refuge elsewhere.
Legal - Something that is legal is allowed by the law.
UN - United Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security.
Applications - An official request for something. Also, 'applications', or 'programmes' are processes that work with stored information to produce the desired result. To watch a film on a computer, for example, you need an application to turn the raw data (stored as 1s and 0s) into a picture on your screen.
Chemical attack sparks anger over UK asylum
Escaped: Police are still looking for the suspect, who ran away after the attack. Glossary
Afghanistan - A mountainous Asian country, slightly larger than France, whose neighbours include Pakistan, Iran and China.
Asylum - When a state agrees to shelter somebody who is fleeing dangerous circumstances. The right to asylum is protected in international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Convicted - Found guilty of a crime in a court.
Asylum seekers - People who have left their countries due to danger and are seeking refuge elsewhere.
Legal - Something that is legal is allowed by the law.
UN - United Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security.
Applications - An official request for something. Also, 'applications', or 'programmes' are processes that work with stored information to produce the desired result. To watch a film on a computer, for example, you need an application to turn the raw data (stored as 1s and 0s) into a picture on your screen.