Pakistani man backed by rights watchdog over expulsion

A PAKISTANI man thrown in jail and later expelled from the country after his valid visitor’s visa was disputed, has won the backing of the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in his complaint against the immigration authorities here.

The man, who was detained in Mountjoy Prison overnight, has been too fearful to travel abroad since his ordeal at Dublin Airport in 2003.

His passport was marked to state he had tried to enter the country illegally and he was subsequently detained in three other countries — including his own — as he tried to make his way back home.

The IHRC, which investigated the incident, yesterday published a 133-page report with strong recommendations for changes in the policies and practices governing how visitors requiring visas are treated at immigration checkpoints.

They said immigration officers at points of entry should be supplied in advance by foreign affairs or justice officials with the full details of any individual granted a visa to travel here or that at least prospective visitors should be warned to bring all such documentation with them.

In the case of the Pakistani visitor, he held a valid visa granted by the Irish consulate in his home country, but when he was questioned about aspects of his visit, he did not have the original documentation he submitted to the consulate to back up his answers. The doubts formed in the mind of the immigration official who inspected his visa were enough to refuse him entry. Des Hogan, deputy chief executive of the IHRC, said this problem was compounded by the new Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill currently going through the Oireachtas.

“We’re concerned about the section of the bill that deals with the grounds under which an immigration officer may refuse a person leave to land in the state. The criteria are too vague. The officer just has to form a view that something is amiss — it does not state what proof or information they should base that view on.”

The IHRC also said the practice of marking passports should end. “We asked for the legal basis for this practice and when it was supplied to us, we found that it only applies to stamping authorisation to enter the country — not refusing leave to land. It caused this man a lot of problems and it should stop.” Mr Hogan also called for an end to the use of prisons for the detention of visitors whose visas are being questioned and the creation of a dedicated independent body to oversee the practices of immigration officers and investigate complaints. He also said the man at the centre of this investigation should be compensated for the costs of his aborted visit.

The Department of Justice would not say whether it planned to compensate the man.