Asylum seekers are getting tattoos of crucifixes and Jesus to “show” they’ve transformed to Christianity and can’t be returned to the Center East, the Telegraph can reveal.
Evaluation of immigration attraction judgments exhibits tattoos related to Christianity, atheism and homosexuality have been cited greater than 20 instances within the final 5 years by these combating to remain within the UK.
The physique artwork has been used to argue they threat persecution if returned to Muslim nations, the place relinquishing the Islamic religion or being homosexual generally is a crime.
Final week, the Church was pressured to defend its conversion processes after Emad al-Swealmeen, 32, blew himself up in Liverpool after changing to Christianity to bolster his asylum utility.
After the bomb assault Priti Patel, the Residence Secretary, criticised how the “merry-go-round” asylum process was being exploited by the authorized companies utilizing authorized support.
Tattoos argued to be real reflections of religion
Whereas asylum seekers who get such tattoos repeatedly safe the proper to stay, one decide sitting in Bradford in 2018 condemned a 25-year-old Iranian man who obtained non secular tattoos.
The ruling discovered that his tattoo didn’t symbolize “a real reflection of the appellant’s religion”. It stated he ought to be returned to Iran as a result of the tattoo might be eliminated, coated up or that he might inform Iranian authorities the reality – “specifically that he had pretended changing to Christianity as a way to bolster his declare for worldwide safety”.
In distinction, a Birmingham listening to in 2018 allowed an Iranian man with “novice” tattoos of a crucifix, Jesus and the Virgin Mary to stay. This was regardless of an earlier listening to concluding that his conversion was “false” and pictures “obtained for the only real objective of enhancing his possibilities” of securing his asylum.
He was allowed to remain “on human rights grounds”, as a result of “he can’t be anticipated to take away…or cowl up…the tattoo to keep away from persecution”.
In February this 12 months, an attraction in opposition to deportation was allowed after a Kurdish Iranian deserted his Islamic religion to turn into an atheist rapper.
The 30-year-old man confirmed the tribunal his “American Atheist” tattoo, an atomic swirl denoting a rejection of all non secular beliefs and a reliance on scientific evaluation.
After he arrived within the UK, Mrs Patel rejected his claims to be an atheist or rapper whose anti-Iranian songs had been posted on social media.
However the decide, sitting in London, concluded “the appellant’s tattoo signposts his atheist leanings and he can’t be anticipated to lie about what it’s, or why he has it.” He was allowed to stay within the UK.
Final 12 months, a 26-year-old Iranian man who stated he transformed to Christianity and fled to the UK was allowed to remain as a result of the decide sitting in Manchester discovered “he has a mark of religion, a big tattoo”.
The case, by which a clergywoman advised how she was glad his conversion was genuine, illustrates how some churches have enjoyed a boost to congregation numbers as a result of numbers of asylum seekers seeking to convert.
The tribunal heard how greater than 130 individuals from 37 nations attended particular companies, with not less than 70 of them being Iranian.
