applied for permission to appeal against the AA ruling but it will remain in force as the country guidance ruling for Zimbabwe until it is successfully challenged in the Court of Appeal, or overtaken by future rulings.
For a fresh claim to be successful it is essential that the asylum seeker has competent legal representation. Please contact us if you have queries about legal representation in general, or check our website www.zimbabweassociation.org which has broad guidelines on what to expect from a competent solicitor. We remain worried about the lack of decent legal representation in many areas of the UK; people are going to full appeal hearings without representation because they cannot find anyone competent to represent them. They are almost certain to have their appeals dismissed if they are unrepresented.
Other issues of concern this week include the continued hunger strike by four women in Yarls Wood. Medical Justice (a group set up to monitor the health and medical problems of detainees) is fully aware of their situation, as is the local MP, Alistair Burt, who visited them last week. Two of the women are going to a bail hearing this week so we remain hopeful of their imminent release.
There are a growing number of reports of Zimbabweans who have travelled to the UK on South African or Malawian passports and have been accepted as Zimbabweans. These unfortunate people have promptly been given prison sentences varying from six months to two years for travelling on false documentation. Everyone should be aware of the risks involved in coming to the UK in the present hostile climate.
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