From Persecution to Safety: How Nafsiyat Helped Habib Secure Asylum

The Community Links & Social Justice (CLSJ) Team at Nafsiyat helped Habib, a young man from the Middle East who fled his home country after facing persecution for reporting what he believed to be a human rights violation to the police. The individual he reported was a high-ranking military officer with government connections, who then branded Habib as a traitor and issued a warrant for his immediate arrest. Knowing that his name was flagged at every border, Habib was extremely fearful. He managed to gather all the money he had and contacted someone who temporarily removed his name from the border security list for just one hour. With nothing but his phone, he escaped to the UK.

Upon arrival, Habib surrendered to the police and explained his situation. However, due to a language barrier with the interpreter, who spoke a different dialect, his name was incorrectly recorded in the paperwork. After settling into his accommodation, Habib began to speak out against the human rights violations he had endured. As a result, he received numerous death threats and was even physically attacked in his accommodation, where he was threatened with death if he didn’t stay silent.

Despite these dangers, Habib heard nothing from the Home Office regarding his asylum status, leaving him extremely anxious. When he met with the Community Links & Social Justice (CLSJ) Team, they discovered that his name had been misspelled in several documents—a common mistake that often delays the asylum process. The CLSJ team persistently contacted the Home Office, sending letters, emails, and making phone calls about the error until the name on his paperwork was finally corrected, allowing his asylum process to move forward.

Later, Habib learned that there might be an execution order against him in his home country, heightening his fear of returning. Recognising the urgency of his situation, the CLSJ team reached out to multiple legal aid services to find him a lawyer, but many were either full or unwilling to take on such a complex case. After months of searching, a prestigious law firm finally agreed to represent him.

This morning, we received a heartfelt message from Habib, informing us that his asylum application has been approved. He expressed deep gratitude for the support of Nafsiyat and the CLSJ team and shared that he now feels confident to begin his new life and couldn’t have done this alone without the vital support he received here.