Re Zabar Shiekh

HCAL 1095/2019

[2022] HKCFI 3023

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW LIST

NO 1095 OF 2019

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Before:  Deputy High Court Judge K.W. Lung in Chambers

Date of Decision:  20 October 2022

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D E C I S I O N

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The application

1.The applicant is an illegal immigrant for staying in Hong Kong without permission and he lodged a non-refoulement claim with the Director of Immigration (the “Director”). The Director, by his Decisions, rejected his application and he appealed to the Torture Claims Appeal Board (the “Board”). Having considered his evidence, the Board, by its Decision (the “Board’s Decision”), rejected his appeal and affirmed the Director’s Decisions.

2.Pursuant to Order 53, rule 3(2) of the Rules of the High Court (“RHC”), the applicant filed Form No. 86 to apply for leave to apply for judicial review of the Board’s Decision.

3.By Form CALL-1 dated 21 July 2022 (the “Court’s decision”), the Court dismissed his application for the reason that there is no realistic prospect of success in his intended judicial review.

4.The applicant filed a summons on 16 September 2022 for appeal against the Court’s decision out of time. In his affirmation in support of his application, he did not explain why he was late, but only said that he did not agree with the Court’s decision.

Discussion

5.Pursuant to Order 32, rule 11 and 11A of the RHC, having considered the applicant’s reasons, I decide to determine this application without an oral hearing.

6.The Court shall consider the factors as set out in AW v. Director of Immigration and William Lam [2016] 2 HKC 393 at para. 27(3) in considering if extension of time should be extended: (1) the length of delay; (2) the reasons for the delay; (3) the prospect of the intended appeal; and (4) the prejudice to the putative respondent if extension of time was granted. The deadline for appeal is 4 August 2022 and the delay is about one and a half months. I shall, nevertheless first consider the merits of the case.

7.In Re Adumekwe Rowland Ejike [2019] HKCA 702, the Court of Appeal held:

“19. The prospect of success of the intended appeal is important: the court will not grant extension for a hopeless appeal to be pursued, see Re Rahman Wasif [2019] HKCA 299 at [13]; Re Kpamou Gbotoi Bernard [2019] HKCA 168; and Re Irshad Muhammad [2018] HKCA 864 at [16].”

8.The applicant claimed that, if refouled, he would be harmed or killed by (i) Hasina’s relatives; and (ii) members of the Awami League (“AL”).

9.By way of the Director’s First Decision dated 19 August 2015, the Director refused the applicant’s claim on Torture risk, BOR 3 risk and Persecution risk for the reason that his claim was not substantiated. By the Director’s Second Decision dated 6 April 2017, the Director refused the applicant’s claim on BOR 2 risk. The applicant appealed to the Board against the Director’s First Decision only.

10.Having considered all the evidence, the Board made the finding that the applicant’s claim that he was pursued by the AL members because of the murder of Ahsan was illogical and implausible [56]-[66]. In any event, the Board concluded that state protection and internal relocation were both viable alternatives for the applicant [67]-[75]. The references refer to the Board’s Decision.

11.It is clear that the Board dismissed his appeal with the reasons above. In the applicant’s affirmation in support of his application for extension of time to appeal, he had not set out any reason to show that he has any reasonable prospect of success in his intended appeal.

12.In the circumstances, I refuse to extend time for the applicant to file his notice of appeal. Accordingly, I dismiss his application.

The applicant was unrepresented.