Hotline for Refugees and Migrants: The first Sudanese refugee has finally been recognised by Israel
Published: 1 Sep 2016
Dear Friends,
Yesterday afternoon [23 June 2014], as our friend and client Mutasim Ali was sitting in an exam for the end of his first year of law school, we received a fax in our office from the Minister of Interior. It was the moment we had been waiting for, the Minister informed us that he has accepted the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Refugees and has decided to award refugee status to Mutasim. Mutasim is a survivor of the genocide in Darfur, and is the first Sudanese person to gain refugee status in Israel.
Over the past four years the Hotline has lead Mutasim’s struggle to receive refugee status. It has taken six legal appeals and yesterday, seven years after he entered Israel, four years after submitting his asylum application and having been detained in Holot for 14 months, Mutasim finally received his answer. He has been granted refugee status in accordance with the 1951 Refugee Convention.
It was two long hours that we had to restrain our excitement until Mutasim finished his exam and we could tell him. Upon hearing the news he was overwhelmed with emotion. “I thank the state of Israel for letting me stay here all these years and accepting my asylum application. I promise that Israel will not regret this. I will continue to contribute to Israeli society and the refugee community in Israel. I intend to use the status granted to me to improve the situation in Darfur, until I can safely return to my homeland. I call on the Israeli government and the international community to act to halt the bloodshed in Darfur and in other regions in Sudan.”
This decision puts an end to the uncertainty and fear of deportation or detention. It opens a new chapter in Mutasim’s life so now he can live in dignity and stability. This decision also gives hope to thousands of asylum seekers in Israel and to all those who believe that Israel can be just and compassionate towards the refugees living amongst us.
Mutasim’s lawyer, and the wonderful Director of the Hotline’s Legal Department, Asaf Weitzen, said “I welcome the decision and the fact that we did not have to resort to yet another legal proceeding to ensure that Mutasim Ali is granted refugee status. It is so moving that after all the hardship, after such a prolonged period of uncertainty and detention and after endless legal proceedings, Mustaim was finally granted the legal status he deserves. I hope this is a sign of things to come.”
Thank you to all of you who have stood by us, supported us, and believed in us. This is your achievement too.
With renewed faith,
Reut Michaeli,
Executive Director