Sumon Md v. Torture Claims Appeal Board / Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office
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HCAL 1292/2021 [2025] HKCFI 6354 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW LIST No. 1292 of 2021
Application for Leave to Apply for Judicial Review Following;
Order by Deputy High Court Judge (Non-Refoulement Claims) Lewis Law:
Observations for the Applicant: 1.By a Form 86 filed on 14 September 2021 (“Form 86”), the Applicant sought leave for judicial review of the decision of the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-Refoulement Claims Petition Office (“the Board”) made on 17 August 2021 (“the Board’s Decision”). 2.The Board’s Decision was made pursuant to a petition/appeal from a decision of the Director of Immigration (“DI”) dated 16 February 2021. 3.The Applicant was absent from the oral hearing of this leave application. On the authority of Re Abdus Salam [2019] HKCA 1091, I proceed to deal with the leave application based on the materials placed before me. 4.The Applicant is a Bangladeshi national. The essence of the Applicant’s case is that he feared ill-treatment by supporters of a political party called Awami League because of his involvement with another political party BNP and his refusal to join the former. The Board conducted an oral hearing to consider the claim. After a thorough assessment of the evidence produced by the Applicant, the Board came to the view that his claim was incredible, and the future risk of him being subject to ill-treatment was low. I have reviewed the Board’s Decision vigorously, but do not find the proposed judicial review reasonably arguable. 5.It has been reiterated time and again that the primary responsibility for the factual assessment of whether any risk of ill-treatment exists lies with the Board. In the absence of any errors of law, procedural unfairness or irrationality, the Court would not reopen the Board’s findings or make a determination on the case afresh. The role of the Court in a judicial review is not to provide a further avenue of appeal (see Re Lakhwinder Singh [2018] HKCA 246). 6.The leave application is dismissed.
Dated the 30th day of December 2025
Where leave to apply has been granted, Applicants and their legal advisers are reminded of their obligation to reconsider the merits of their application in the light of the Respondent’s evidence
Form CALL-1
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Cases cited in this judgment