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Hong Kong government investigates fake Indian asylum claims
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 29 October, 2015, 12:01am
UPDATED : Thursday, 29 October, 2015, 12:01am
Emily Tsang
[email protected]
Lai Tung-kwok flags concern over Indians using fake papers to enter Hong Kong and then seeking asylum. Photo: Felix Wong
The government has asked the Indian consulate general to investigate a rising trend of agencies using fake papers to allow Indians to enter Hong Kong and then claim asylum, the security chief said yesterday.
Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok said law enforcement officials had proposed visiting India to follow up with local enforcement authorities on the activities, which helped people to work illegally in Hong Kong.
"These agencies provide a range of 'services', including transportation and legal service which ensures they enter successfully," Lai said in reply to a question in the Legislative Council yesterday.
"They also lodge a non-refoulement claim for them afterwards, and, while they are pending screening, arrange unlawful employment for them."
He said such activities had seriously abused the city's non-refoulement screening mechanism and may amount to human trafficking. Non-refoulement is an international law, which has applied to Hong Kong since 1992, that protects refugees from being returned to where their lives or freedom could be threatened.
If a non-refoulement claim is substantiated, the claimant will be referred to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for consideration for of resettlement in a third country.
Lai refused to disclose further details of the investigation concerning the Indian agencies to avoid damaging the relevant operations. He said the Immigration Department was currently handing 10,450 such claims.
Lai added the government would soon be in contact with the consulates of countries including Vietnam and Pakistan to discuss how to combat syndicates that smuggle people into Hong Kong.
