Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Pastor Daly - Home Office backs down, 17th May

17th May 2006
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees put out an appeal to support the Daly family in their judicial review of the Home Office's decision not to grant them protection. (see below)

The great news today, 17th May, is that the Home Office at the last minute conceded that the case should be re-assesed, instead of the Court of Session reviewing the process that led to the refusal (perhaps they are worried at the prospect of their decision-making process being examined in this case?)

Here is the message from GCtWR:

Pastor Daly and family have won the right to have their case re-assessed WITHOUT going to judicial review.

The legal case for Pastor Daly and his family was going to judicial review in the High Court and was scheduled to be heard on Thursday the 18th and Friday the 19th of May 2006.

The Home Office has TODAY suddenly accepted that the case can be heard again. So there will be no need for a judicial review!!

Thanks to all who were going to attend on Thursday, hope this catches you in time!

Keep up the campaigning.

Margaret Woods
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
07870 286 632


And the initial call for support:

Pastor Daly and family Judicial Review,
Thursday 18th May 2006

Edinburgh High Court
High Street, Edinburgh
10am-4pm Thursday 18th and Friday 19th May


The legal case for Pastor Daly and his family will reach the judicial review stage in the High Court on Thursday the 18th and Friday the 19th of May 2006.

Pastor Daly's asylum case has become one of the best-known cases in Scotland because of the massive campaigning support the family has been given from the African Scottish community and also the people of Glasgow and Scotland more generally. His contribution to the life of the city in terms of helping refugees and others, particularly in his local area, Sighthill, has been enormous.

The children have spent more than 5 years in education in Scotland and all have done very well in their exams. Rachel is at college and could attend university if the government allowed it under the asylum laws.

Pastor Daly originally fled Angola because he refused to inform on members of his congregation to a brutal government. Twice in the last year and a half, Pastor and his family have been arrested and detained and twice the Home Office have been forced to release them. This was due to the legal work carried out by his lawyers and also because of the anger that spread across the city of Glasgow at the treatment of this family.

The family has widespread support from politicians of different parties, trade unionists, various churches and religious organisations and a huge number of ordinary people in the city.

Commenting on the case, Sandra White MSP said
"This family are a great asset to our community and of course should be allowed to stay in Scotland".

The case has now become one of the most important human rights cases in relation to government immigration policy in the whole of Britain.

Friends and supporters will accompany the Pastor and his family to the hearing, which is, of course, open to public and press.

Margaret Woods
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
078 7028 6632

Messages of support/solidarity can be sent to:
glascamref@hotmail.com

Campaign is supported by:
Lisalisi Scotland
Pentecostal Church of Redemption
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
Scotland Against Criminalising Communities - SACC
National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns - NCADC

Enquiries/further information:
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
C/o F.B.U., 52 St. Enoch's Square, Glasgow.
glascamref@hotmail.com

Background: Pastor Makielokele Nzelengi Daly