The Foreign Litigation Council has rejected the application of a Guinean who gave the Ebola epidemic being present in his country as a reason to be granted asylum in Belgium. This was reported by De Standaard and Het Nieusblad on Tuesday. The refugee arrived in Belgium in mid-September and said that he feared for his life in Guinea following a political discussion with a member of another tribe. The Commissioner-General for Refugees and Stateless persons rejected his application due to its incoherence.
Two months later, the man submitted a new asylum request, stating the Ebola epidemic ravaging his country. The Foreign Litigation Council also threw out this argument, following a declaration by the Commissioner-General. He said that the presence of a disease in a country alone is not reason for asylum.
The State Secretary for Asylum and Immigration Theo Francken said he understood this decision. “It would not be good to recognize Ebola as a valid reason for asylum”.
(Source: Belga)
