A MAN who claims to be a Syrian refugee has been denied asylum because the Home Office believes his accent does not sound sufficiently like it comes from the war-torn country.
Hosny El Shik has been evicted from his accommodation in Glasgow after a Home Office language analyst ruled his accent might be Algerian. His financial support has been cut and he faces deportation even though his lawyers say there is nothing to back up the claim.
A charity that is assisting Mr El Shik said it was concerned about refugees fleeing Islamic State from the country being told they cannot remain in the country, even as David Cameron pledges to accept others to relieve the refugee crisis.
Glasgow-based Positive Action in Housing says they have come across a number of cases of people who have claimed asylum from the war-torn region but are refused on the basis that they have a connection with another country.
Only 216 people have been accepted under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme. Thousands more have arrived in the UK and many have been granted asylum.
Mr El Shik, 31, said he fled Azaz, a small town in the north-west of the country, after he returned from the shops to discover a bombing raid had killed his mother, father and brother. Although he had hoped to travel to Canada, he ended up in Glasgow after seeking help from human traffickers to leave Syria.
Mr El Shik, who said he works for a shipping company, said his passport and other papers were destroyed in the bombing, although he lodged evidence of his job in support of his claim.
However his claim was refused on the basis that the Home Office does not believe he is Syrian.
Robina Qureshi, Director of PAIH said: "We are concerned that a pattern is emerging of people who we can clearly identify as being Syrian being told they are not from Syria because they have links to another country."
"We are convinced of the strength of Hosny's case and we are determined to challenge the Home Office's suspect language analysis."
Sarah Smith, of solicitors Latta &co. said: "Language analysis has been criticised by the Supreme Court, but the Home Office still frequently uses it to assess the nationality of asylum seekers with no identity documentation. There is no evidence at all that Mr El Shik is from Algeria and he has no connection with that country whatsoever. People like this are in a very difficult position - how do you prove you are not from a country?
"We are preparing a fresh asylum claim which will include expert evidence in relation to the language analysis."
Gary Christie, head of policy at the Scottish Refugee Council, said: "It is vital that refugees who do make their own way to the UK are treated with dignity and respect and their claims for protection are fully considered fairly and in line with international human rights principles and obligations."
A Home Office spokesman said: “We consider every claim for asylum on its individual merits using all available information – including evidence provided by the applicant, language analysis and interviews. All decisions are made in line with the immigration rules and are subject to oversight by an independent immigration judge.”
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