A Zimbabwean asylum seeker is facing deportation from Scotland together with his wife and three months-old baby. The 40-year-old Zimba...
A Zimbabwean asylum seeker is facing deportation from
Scotland together with his wife and three months-old baby.
The 40-year-old Zimbabwean has told The National newspaper
that he first came to the UK 10 years ago. Last year he married a fellow
countrywoman – who has lived in Scotland for more than 17 years – and they made
their home in West Lothian. Their daughter was born prematurely in Edinburgh
earlier this year.
“At first I sought asylum here and they refused me several
times because they said I didn’t have enough evidence. I gave as much evidence
as I could.
“I got married here last year and we had a child and I did
an application on human rights grounds and they refused it again saying I
should return home with my three-month-old child – but my wife has the right to
remain in this country.”
Malcolm said there was nothing for the family in Zimbabwe:
“There’s only my elderly father there. The rest of my family’s in South Africa.
They left because of the situation in Zimbabwe, where there’s a lot of turmoil.
“For the Home Office to say I should return to Zimbabwe
with a four-month-old baby is crazy. When I left I lost everything there so
I’ve nothing to go back to.”
He added: “Our child was born prematurely – my wife’s
pregnancy was quite difficult. She’s on maternity leave for a year and she gets
maternity pay so she’s having to work in other jobs to keep us going.”
Martyn Day, SNP MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, has
taken up the family’s case and has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel,
urging a rethink under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
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