Ahmad Ashfaq v. Torture Claims Appeal Board / Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office

CAMP 63/2023, [2023] HKCA 748

On Appeal From [2023] HKCA 397

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF APPEAL

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS NO 63 OF 2023

(ON AN INTENDED APPEAL FROM HCAL NO 3355 OF 2019)

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BETWEEN

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J U D G M E N T

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Hon G Lam JA (giving the Judgment of the Court):

1.This is an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal (“CFA”). The applicant’s claim for non-refoulement protection in Hong Kong was rejected by the Director of Immigration and by the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office (“Board”). His application for leave to apply for judicial review of the Board’s decision was dismissed by the Court of First Instance. His application for extension of time to appeal against that decision was dismissed by this Court in our judgment dated 28 March 2023.

2.By Notice of Motion filed on 19 May 2023, the applicant seeks leave to appeal against our judgment to the CFA.  In that document the applicant stated that he did not get justice and wanted to go to the CFA.

3.In his written submissions lodged on 5 June 2023, the applicant merely repeated the basis of his non-refoulement claim and its processing history. 

4.There is no reason for us to depart from the usual practice of determining an application of this kind on the basis of the available materials without an oral hearing, as set out in paragraph 3 of Practice Direction 2.1.

5.We take the view that this application ought to be dismissed because the applicant has not shown that the intended appeal raises any question which, by reason of its great general or public importance, or otherwise, ought to be submitted to the CFA for decision (which is the condition for giving leave to appeal under section 22(1)(b)  of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance, Cap 484), and also because he has failed to show any prospects of success in the intended appeal.  Further, the Notice of Motion was filed more than 28 days after our judgment, contrary to the requirement in section 24 of the Ordinance, and the delay has not been explained.

6.Accordingly, the Notice of Motion is dismissed.

The Applicant, unrepresented, acting in person