Asylum Seekers

All the asylum-seeking people who took part in the Doors Open project have been forced to leave their own countries, either because of war or because they were being persecuted for their religious beliefs or political activities. In making their escape, they faced considerable danger.

Under the 1951 Convention on Refugees (signed by 145 countries), the U.K. has an obligation to consider all applications made for asylum. Article 1 of the Convention defines a refugee as: ‘A person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/ herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution'.

There is no such thing as an ‘illegal asylum seeker'. Someone who has fled persecution and arrived in this country and made themselves known to the authorities has a legal right to apply for asylum.