COI Update Vol. 203 15 October 2019
2
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 31 September and 14 October 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: Adulterers, 4 October 2019
Iraq
UK Home Office, Country Policy and Information Note, Iraq: Religious minorities, 8 October 2019
Country News and Publications
Global
International Crisis Group op-ed, The Unwanted Wars, 2 October 2019
International Crisis Group commentary, CrisisWatch 2019: A Global Overview of September Trends
and October Alerts, 1 October 2019
Afghanistan
OHCHR press release, UN Report find alleged drug facilities were not lawful targets - airtrikes caused
significant civilian casualties, 9 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Afghanistan: Little Help for Conflict-Linked Trauma, 7 October 2019
Radio Free Europe, Ten Killed In Blast In Eastern Afghanistan, 7 October 2019
International Crisis Group briefing, Getting the Afghanistan Peace Process Back on Track, 2 October
2019
International Crisis Group Q&A, Afghanistan’s Low-turnout Election, Insecurity and Unsettled
Prospects for Peace, 2 October 2019
Bangladesh
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Bangladesh Ruling Party Activists Kill Student after Facebook Post,
10 October 2019
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The New Humanitarian, Can floating gardens help Bangladesh’s farmers withstand climate threats?,
3 October 2019
Burma/Myanmar
Amnesty International campaigns, Myanmar: Early Release For Former Child Soldier: Aung Ko Htwe,
9 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Myanmar: Rohingya Jailed for Traveling, 8 October 2019
Cameroon
Human Rights Watch dispatches, World Heritage Site Attacked in Cameroon, 11 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Cameroon: Political Opponent Freed, 7 October 2019
Reporters Without Borders, RSF refers Cameroonian journalist’s detention to African special
rapporteurs, 7 October 2019
International Crisis Group video, Video - Cameroon's Anglophone Dialogue: A Work in Progress, 4
October 2019
China
Radio Free Asia, Tiananmen Liquor Seller, Family Forced Out of Home in China's Sichuan, 11 October
2019
Radio Free Asia, China Detains Activists Over Criticism of The Ruling Communist Party, 3 October
2019
China-Tibet
Radio Free Asia, Tibetan Monk Arrested by Chinese Police Last Month Remains Missing, 4 October
2019
Radio Free Asia, Yachen Gar Demolition Has Displaced As Many as 6,000 Monks and Nuns, 1 October
2019
China-Xinjiang
Amnesty International action, Help us find Yiliyasijiang Reheman, 14 October 2019
Radio Free Asia, Uyghur Language School Co-Founder Detained in Xinjiang Internment Camp, 7
October 2019
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Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The New Humanitarian, In Congo, a ‘militarised’ Ebola response has fuelled community resistance, 2
October 2019
Security Council, Report of the Secretary-General of the UN: Implementation of the Peace, Security
and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, 1 October
2019
Egypt
Amnesty International action, Where is Ibrahim Ezz El-Din?, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International news, Egypt: Convictions of two men disappeared and tortured as children
‘shameful’, 12 October 2019
Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Prominent Activist And His Lawyer Detained: Alaa Abdel
Fattah And Mohamed El-Baqer, 11 October 2019
Amnesty International campaigns, Egypt: Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Detained: Mahienour El-
Masry, 9 October 2019
International Federation for Human Rights urgent appeal, Egypt: Ongoing arbitrary detention and
judicial harassment of Asmaa Dabees and her family members, 4 October 2019
Ethiopia
Amnesty International news, Ethiopia: Nobel Peace Prize must spur Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
towards further human rights reform, 11 October 2019
India
Reporters Without Borders, Two Indian journalists beaten while probing suspected school scam, 8
October 2019
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Restrictions, Detentions Persist in Kashmir, 7 October 2019
Iran
Amnesty International action, Help release Yasaman from prison, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International campaigns, Iran: Further Information: Women’s Rights Defender At Risk Of
Torture, 10 October 2019
Amnesty International news, Iran: Limited allocation of football tickets for women a ‘cynical publicity
stunt’, 9 October 2019
Human Rights Watch report, Problems with education for children with disabilities in Iran, 9 October
2019
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Reporters Without Borders, RSF calls for release of Russian journalist held in Iran, 8 October 2019
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Reforms Will Grant Nationality to Children of Iranian Women, 3
October 2019
Reporters Without Borders, Relatives of Iranian journalists taken hostage in Iran, 3 October 2019
Iraq
International Crisis Group report, Averting an ISIS Resurgence in Iraq and Syria, 11 October 2019
Amnesty International research, Iraq: Freedom of Speech and Assembly under Attack as over 100
Killed, Thousands Injured and Hundreds Arrested, 10 October 2019
International Crisis Group commentary, Widespread Protests Point to Iraq’s Cycle of Social Crisis, 10
October 2019
UNHCR news story, Citizenship hopes become reality for Iraq’s Bidoon minority, 10 October 2019
Reporters Without Borders, Attacks on at least three Baghdad TV stations, 8 October 2019
Reporters Without Borders, Iraqi security forces attack reporters covering protests, 4 October 2019
Liberia
Reporters Without Borders, Liberian radio station closed, another attacked by protesters, 14 October
2019
Human Rights Watch news, Liberia Stakeholder Report for the United Nations Universal Periodic
Review Regarding Impunity for Past Human Rights Violations, 3 October 2019
Mali
Human Rights Watch news, Mali: Detainee Restraints Causing Grievous Injuries, 2 October 2019
UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary-General of the UN: Situation in Mali, 1 October 2019
Malawi
OHCHR press release, Press briefing note on Malawi, 11 October 2019
Morocco
Amnesty International news, Moroccan human rights defenders targeted using malicious NSO Israeli
spyware, 10 October 2019
Reporters Without Borders, Moroccan prosecutor seeks 20-year jail term for journalist on appeal, 10
October 2019
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Reporters Without Borders, Moroccan reporter gets one year in jail on sex charges, 1 October 2019
Nigeria
Amnesty International action, Join Nasu’s call to end enforced evictions, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International research, Nigeria: Endangered Voices: Attack On Freedom Of Expression In
Nigeria, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International news, Nigeria/Netherlands: Kiobel witness hearing key chance to hold Shell to
account over human rights abuses, 8 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Nigeria: Army Frees 25 Child Suspects After Abuse Reports, 4 October
2019
North Korea
Radio Free Asia, North Korean Authorities Crack Down on 'Anti-Socialist' Fashion, 2 October 2019
Pakistan
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Pakistan Could Make Torture A Crime, 10 October 2019
International Federation for Human Rights report, Pakistan: Poor and marginalized suffer
disproportionately from capital punishment, 8 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Pakistan: End Ordeal for ‘Blasphemy’ Defendants, 6 October 2019
South Sudan
Amnesty International news, OPED: South Sudan Government a stumbling block to justice for victims
of crimes against humanity, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International action, Help free Magai from death row, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International research, South Sudan: Execution Spree Continues As Four People Hanged In
September, 10 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, South Sudan/AU: Set Meeting on War Crimes Court, 9 October 2019
The New Humanitarian, Peace may bring freedom to South Sudan’s child soldiers, but not the help
they need, 9 October 2019
Amnesty International news, South Sudan: Crippled justice system and blanket amnesties fuelling
impunity for war crimes, 7 October 2019
Sudan
UNICEF statement, Vaccination campaign against cholera kicks off in Sudan, 11 October 2019
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Syria
Amnesty International news, Syria: Turkish military offensive risks a humanitarian catastrophe, 11
October 2019
International Crisis Group report, Averting an ISIS Resurgence in Iraq and Syria, 11 October 2019
OHCHR press release, UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria: A new wave of violence is the last thing
Syrians need, 10 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Northeast Syria: Boys, Men Held in Inhumane Conditions, 8 October 2019
Turkey
Reporters Without Borders, Turkey poised to expel Syrian reporter working for Saudi TV channel, 14
October 2019
Amnesty International news, Turkey: Judicial farce must end with acquittal of human rights
defenders, 8 October 2019
Uganda
Human Rights Watch dispatches, Uganda Tightens Clampdown on Media, 14 October 2019
Amnesty International news, Uganda: Parliament must reject bill imposing death penalty for gay sex,
11 October 2019
Ukraine
International Crisis Group statement, A Possible Step Toward Peace in Eastern Ukraine, 9 October
2019
Vietnam
Radio Free Asia, Jailed Vietnamese Environmental Activist in Solitary After Cellmate Beat Him
Unconscious, 11 October 2019
Radio Free Asia, Lawyer for Jailed RFA Blogger ‘Not Surprised’ by ‘Obstacles’ Set Up by Vietnamese
Authorities, 9 October 2019
Human Rights Watch news, Vietnam: New Arrest for Facebook Postings, 7 October 2019
Reporters Without Borders, Vietnamese reporter beaten unconscious for investigating illegal
logging, 2 October 2019
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Yemen
The New Humanitarian, Roundup: Yemen’s war rattles on, a year after Khashoggi killing, 4 October
2019
Sources consulted: Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Institute for War and Peace
Reporting; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC); European Asylum Support Office (EASO);
International Crisis Group; International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); International
Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR); The New Humanitarian (formerly ‘IRIN’); Radio Free Asia, Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Reporters Without Borders; UN Agencies, Committees, Special
Rapporteurs and news.
Sources to consult for annual reports: Amnesty International; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch;
U.S. Department of State
Useful COI databases for case-specific country research (non-exhaustive):
o Asylos’s research notes [Subscription only] o COI Forum [Subscription only] 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