Two of 5 Russians dwelling for months at Incheon airport to keep away from preventing in Ukraine have refugee attraction accepted.
A courtroom in South Korea has granted two Russian males – who've been stranded on the nation’s Incheon Worldwide Airport for months – the proper to use for refugee standing and depart the terminal constructing.
The Incheon District Court docket on Tuesday additionally rejected one different Russian nationwide’s plea for asylum, with out detailing the explanations for the choice.
The three had landed on the airport in October after fleeing Russia to keep away from being drafted to battle in Ukraine.
South Korea’s justice ministry rejected their functions for refugee standing, saying that avoiding navy service didn't qualify as a legitimate purpose for receiving asylum in South Korea. All able-bodied males in South Korea should serve 18 months within the navy as a part of nationwide service.
The rejection left the boys – whose lawyer requested they not be named out of concern for the protection of their households again in Russia – stranded for months within the airport’s transit space, prompting them to carry a case to courtroom.
“We welcome the courtroom’s choice on the 2 however it's regrettable that it rejected the opposite one’s plea,” stated Lee Jong-chan, a lawyer representing the three.
“They got here right here making an attempt to keep away from killing harmless individuals and getting themselves killed in a conflict initiated by their dwelling nation. It took them 4 months simply to win the proper to use for refugee standing,” he stated.
Court docket orders #immigration workplace to display screen #refugee requests of two #Russian males
https://t.co/GwAqaKbQ0B— The Korea Occasions (@koreatimescokr) February 14, 2023
The 2 will now be allowed to finish their months-long airport keep and can be settled in South Korea whereas present process the asylum recognition course of, which might take years.
The third Russian has the proper to attraction his rejection, however he should stay dwelling on the airport within the interim. One other two Russians are additionally dwelling on the airport. The courtroom will rule on their instances for asylum later this month.
Lee, the lawyer, advised the Korea Occasions that returning to Russia was not a viable possibility for the third man.
“There’s a low probability that he would select to return to Russia the place he would face harsh punishment,” Lee was quoted as saying.
Travelling to a different nation could be an possibility, he added. Lee additionally stated that he anticipated South Korea’s immigration authorities to attraction the courtroom’s choice.
“However even when they do, the 2 males who received the case will nonetheless have the ability to depart the airport in accordance with at this time’s courtroom ruling,” he advised the Korea Occasions.
One of many asylum seekers – who arrived in South Korea on October 14 – advised the newspaper that he couldn't imagine the excellent news.
“I've been so nervous and anxious in regards to the trials that I didn’t give a lot considered what I ought to do after I depart the airport,” he wrote in a textual content message on Tuesday.
Although South Korea has signed worldwide conventions on refugees, the nation usually accepts only a handful of asylum seekers annually.
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