Litigation Toolkit on Statelessness: Volume II
October 2022
that they have actually had recourse to UNRWA’s protection or assistance and that that
protection or assistance has ceased, but, once that is established, if the authority
considers that the applicant could now return to UNRWA’s area of operation, it is for
that authority to demonstrate that the circumstances have changed in the area of
operations concerned and that the applicant can access adequate protection or
assistance from UNRWA. It also held that the applicant does not need to prove that
there was any intentional infliction of harm or failure; it is sufficient to establish that
UNRWA’s assistance or protection has in fact ceased for any reason (beyond the
applicant’s control). The Court held, inter alia, that if UNRWA cooperates with a civil
society or host government agency or actor to fulfil its mission, the services by those
organisations are relevant to considerations of whether UNWRA can provide adequate
assistance or protection only if there is a stable and formal relationship between
UNRWA and the relevant organisations, and the applicant has a durable right to such
services.
2.5. Detention and statelessness
Court of Justice of the European Union
•
Kadzoev, C-357/09 PPU, ECLI:EU:C:2009:741 (30 November 2009)
A stateless person of Chechen origin, whose real identity could not be determined with
certainty, was detained in Bulgaria for several years. His application for asylum was
rejected, but he stayed in detention as several countries denied him the right to enter.
By the time the case reached the CJEU, the applicant had been in detention for 37
months. The court ruled that where there is no reasonable prospect of successful
expulsion, individuals cannot be detained. The Court ruled on several points regarding
the interpretation of Article 15(4) to (6) of Directive 2008/115/EC (EU Returns Directive),
including on the calculation of the maximum period of detention. The Court also
interpreted the concept of a (lack of) reasonable prospect of removal within the
meaning of Article 15(4) of the Returns Directive, according to which detention ceases
to be justified and the person concerned must be released immediately when it appears
that, for legal or other considerations, a reasonable prospect of removal no longer
exists.
European Court of Human Rights
•
Al-Nashif v. Bulgaria, Application No. 50963/99 (20 June 2002)
A stateless person of Palestinian origin, born in Kuwait resided in Bulgaria with his two
children who were born in Bulgaria and hold Bulgarian nationality. His permanent
residence permit in Bulgaria was withdrawn on the grounds that he was engaged in
alleged religious extremism, and he was detained and subsequently deported to Syria.
The Court held that there had been a violation of Articles 5(§4), 8, and 13 ECHR as a
result of the deportation. In this judgment, the Court outlines the procedural safeguards
required by the ECHR in decisions to detain a person for the purposes of deportation,
including where an allegation of a threat to national security is made. The guarantee of
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