COI Update Vol 186 22 January 2019

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This document provides an update of UK Country Guidance case law, UK Home Office publications

and developments in refugee producing countries (focusing on those which generate the most

asylum seekers in the UK) between 8 January and 21 January 2019.

Ctrl + click the hyperlinked text to access the documents

Legal Update

No UK Country Guidance cases were promulgated in the reporting period.

UK Home Office Publications Update

Iran

UK Home Office, Country Policy and Information Note, Iran: Ahwazis and Ahwazi political groups, 11

January 2019

Country News and Publications

Global

Human Rights Watch, World Report 2019: Reversing Autocrats’ Attacks on Rights, 17 January 2019

Afghanistan

Radio Free Europe, Taliban Assault On Afghan Military Base Kills At Least 12, 21 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Afghanistan: Rights on the Precipice, 17 January 2019

OHCHR press release, Afghanistan’s human rights record to be reviewed by Universal Periodic

Review, 16 January 2019

Human Rights Watch dispatches, New Afghan Defense Minister Should Face Investigation, Sanctions,

12 January 2019

Bangladesh

Human Rights Watch commentary, LGBT Activists Are Using Visual Arts to Change Hearts and Minds

in Bangladesh, 18 January 2019

OHCHR press release, Myanmar: UN expert expresses alarm at escalating conflict, calls for civilian

protection, 18 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Bangladesh: Violent Repression of Opposition, 17 January 2019

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Burma/Myanmar

Human Rights Watch news, Myanmar: Rights Catastrophe Deepens, 17 January 2019

Amnesty International news, Myanmar: Reuters journalists’ rejected appeal perpetuates an

appalling injustice, 11 January 2019

OHCHR press release, Myanmar: UN human rights expert to visit Thailand and Bangladesh, 11

January 2019

International Crisis Group report, Fire and Ice: Conflict and Drugs in Myanmar’s Shan State, 8 January

2019

Cameroon

UNHCR press release, UNHCR deplores forced refugee returns from Cameroon, 18 January 2019

China

Radio Free Asia, State Security Police in China's Sichuan 'Framed' Ailing Activist, 21 January 2019

Radio Free Asia, Chongqing Dissident Detained Over Public Speech Calling on President to Resign, 21

January 2019

Radio Free Asia, Court in China's Guangdong Jails Human Rights Lawyer For Five Years, 18 January

2019

International Federation for Human Rights urgent appeal, China: Closed-door trial and arbitrary

detention of Huang Qi, 16 January 2019

China-Tibet

Radio Free Asia, China’s Oldest University for Tibetan Students Ends Instruction in Tibetan, 10 January

2019

China-Xinjiang

Human Rights Watch news, China: Xi Doubles Down on Repression, 17 January 2019

Radio Free Asia, Xinjiang Authorities Detain Uyghur Aspiring Professional Footballer in ‘Political Re-

education Camp’, 15 January 2019

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

OHCHR press release, UN Human Rights Office says credible reports suggest at least 890 killed in

western DRC violence in mid-December, 16 January 2019

Amnesty International news, DRC: Human rights crisis looms ahead of declaration of election results,

9 January 2019

Egypt

Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Lawyer Detained In Undisclosed Location: Hoda

Abdelmoniem, 17 January 2019

Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Arbitrary Detention Extended: Islam Khalil, 17 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Egypt: New Moves to Crush Dissent, 17 January 2019

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Ethiopia

UNHCR press release, UNHCR welcomes Ethiopia law granting more rights to refugees, 18 January

2019

India

Human Rights Watch news, India: Growing Crackdown on Activists, Rights Groups, 17 January 2019

Amnesty International campaigns, India: Administrative Detention For Facebook Posts:

Kishorchandra Wangkhem, 15 January 2019

International Federation for Human Rights urgent appeal, India: Judicial harassment of Hiren Gohain,

Akhil Gogoi and Manjit Mahanta, 15 January 2019

OHCHR press release, India: UN experts alarmed by alleged police killings in Uttar Pradesh, 11

January 2019

Iran

Human Rights Watch news, Iran: Unrelenting Repression, 17 January 2019

OHCHR press release, Iran: Prisoners Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi need

appropriate health care urgently – UN experts, 16 January 2019

Iraq

International Crisis Group commentary, Picturing Baghdad, 9 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Detained Children Tortured, 8 January 2019

Kenya

Human Rights Watch news, Kenya: Attack on Nairobi Hotel, 17 January 2019

Nigeria

Amnesty International news, Nigeria: Disbandment of FSARS not enough to end police atrocities, 21

January 2019

Amnesty International news, Nigeria: Satellite imagery shows charred remains of Rann after Boko

Haram attack, 18 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Nigeria: Heightened Insecurity Threatens Rights, 17 January 2019

International Crisis Group op-ed, What Would Make A Woman Go Back To Boko Haram? Despair, 14

January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Nigeria: Military Raids Newspaper, Detains Staff, 8 January 2019

Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs)

Amnesty International campaigns, Israel/OPT: Prominent Bedouin Leader Imprisoned By Israel:

Sheikh Sayyah Abu Mdeighim Al-Turi, 21 January 2019

Pakistan

Amnesty International blog, Saving Khizar, 21 January 2019

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Sri Lanka

Amnesty International blog, Sri Lanka: The Year in Rights, 21 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Sri Lanka: Political Crisis Threatens Justice Efforts, 17 January 2019

Amnesty International research, Sri Lanka: Allegations against New Army Chief Of Staff Highlight the

Urgent Need to Address Impunity, 11 January 2019

Sudan

Amnesty International news, Sudan: Security forces continue deadly onslaught on protestors and

medical personnel, 18 January 2019

OHCHR press release, Reports of excessive force against Sudan protests deeply worrying – Bachelet,

17 January 2019

International Crisis Group briefing, Improving Prospects for a Peaceful Transition in Sudan, 14

January 2019

Amnesty International news, Sudan: Security officers pursue injured protestors into hospital, 10

January 2019

Syria

OHCHR press release, Committee on the Rights of the Child reviews the situation of Children in Syria,

16 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Syria: Deadly School Attack Was Unlawful, 11 January 2019

UNHCR briefing notes, Thousands fleeing fighting in northeast Syria – UNHCR, 11 January 2019

IRIN News, “The world forgot us”: Women and healthcare in ruined Raqqa, 8 January 2019

Turkey

Human Rights Watch news, Turkey: State of Emergency Ends, but Not Repression, 17 January 2019

Ukraine

Human Rights Watch news, Ukraine: Human Rights Backsliding as Election Looms, 17 January 2019

Vietnam

Joint Letter, NGOs Urge the EU to Postpone Vote on Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, 18 January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Vietnam: Intensifying Rights Crackdown, 17 January 2019

Yemen

OHCHR press release, Yemen’s human rights record to be reviewed by Universal Periodic Review, 18

January 2019

Human Rights Watch news, Yemen: Civilians Bombed, Shelled, Starved, 17 January 2019

OHCHR press release, Viet Nam’s human rights record to be reviewed by Universal Periodic Review,

17 January 2019

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Zimbabwe

Amnesty International news, Zimbabwe: Crackdown escalates on protests over massive fuel price

hikes, hundreds arrested, 15 January 2019

Sources consulted: Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Institute for War and Peace

Reporting; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC); International Crisis Group; International

Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR); IRIN; Radio

Free Asia news, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; UN Agencies, Committees, Special Rapporteurs and

news.

Useful COI databases (non-exhaustive):

o Asylos’s research notes o COI Forum o EASO COI Portal [European Asylum Support Office’s portal] o Electronic Immigration Network [Subscription only] o ECOI.net [European Country of Origin Information Network] o Refworld [UNHCR’s portal] o ReliefWeb