This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/world/europe/migrant-who-walked-channel-tunnel-is-granted-asylum-in-britain.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Migrant Who Walked Channel Tunnel Is Granted Asylum in Britain Migrant Who Walked Channel Tunnel Is Granted Asylum in Britain
(about 5 hours later)
LONDON — The Sudanese man who walked the 31 miles through the Channel Tunnel in August only to be arrested in Britain has been granted asylum and can stay in the country, his lawyers said on Monday. LONDON — The Sudanese man who walked the 31 miles through the Channel Tunnel in August only to be arrested in Britain has been granted asylum and can stay in the country, his lawyers said on Monday.
The man, Abdul Rahman Haroun, had been one of the thousands of migrants and asylum seekers living in camps in Calais, France, seeking to get themselves into Britain, where they believe life will be better for them than at home or elsewhere in Europe.The man, Abdul Rahman Haroun, had been one of the thousands of migrants and asylum seekers living in camps in Calais, France, seeking to get themselves into Britain, where they believe life will be better for them than at home or elsewhere in Europe.
Mr. Haroun, 40 at the time, is believed to be the first person to make it through the tunnel on foot, although he was arrested by the British on Aug. 4, before emerging into the open air after a walk of some 11 hours.Mr. Haroun, 40 at the time, is believed to be the first person to make it through the tunnel on foot, although he was arrested by the British on Aug. 4, before emerging into the open air after a walk of some 11 hours.
His extraordinary effort won him considerable publicity and various nongovernmental groups campaigned to let him stay in Britain, even as the Conservative government has been cracking down on illegal immigrants and trying to convince its European Union partners to even put limits on the benefits received by legal immigrants to Britain. His extraordinary effort won him considerable publicity, and various nongovernmental groups campaigned to let him stay in Britain, even as the Conservative government has been cracking down on illegal immigrants and trying to persuade its European Union partners to even put limits on the benefits received by legal immigrants to Britain.
Mr. Haroun was detained while his asylum application was acted upon. He was also charged with obstructing a railway engine or carriage under a 19th-century law that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.Mr. Haroun was detained while his asylum application was acted upon. He was also charged with obstructing a railway engine or carriage under a 19th-century law that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
According to the prosecutor in the case and Mr. Haroun’s lawyer, Sadie Castle of the firm Kent Defense, Mr. Haroun was granted refugee status by the British Home Office on Dec. 24. At a court hearing on Monday, prosecutors were considering whether to drop the criminal charge, given the positive decision on asylum, and Mr. Haroun was released on bail to a safe house until a Jan. 18 hearing at Canterbury Crown Court. According to the prosecutor in the case and Mr. Haroun’s lawyer, Sadie Castle of the firm Kent Defense, Mr. Haroun was granted refugee status by the British Home Office on Dec. 24. At a court hearing on Monday, prosecutors were considering whether to drop the criminal charge, given the positive decision on asylum, and Mr. Haroun was released on bail to a safe house until a hearing on Jan. 18 at Canterbury Crown Court.
Little is known about him, but the court heard at an earlier hearing that his mother tongue is Zaghawa, suggesting that he may be from Darfur, a region of Sudan ravaged by more than a decade of conflict. Little is known about him, but the court heard at an earlier hearing that his native language is Zaghawa, suggesting that he may be from Darfur, a region of Sudan ravaged by more than a decade of conflict.
Eurotunnel, which operates the tunnel, said it would be disappointed if prosecution were abandoned, because the presence of people on or near the tracks is both dangerous — trains travel through it at up to 100 miles per hour — and disruptive to commercial traffic. Eurotunnel, which operates the tunnel, said it would be disappointed if prosecution were abandoned because the presence of people on or near the tracks is both dangerous — trains travel through it at up to 100 miles per hour — and disruptive to commercial traffic.
“We believe that it is something that can only act as an incentive to other illegal immigrants to seek to enter the country,” said John Keefe, a spokesman for Eurotunnel. “We had hoped the authorities would use the full force of the law as a dissuasive measure” against others who seek to enter Britain illegally through the tunnel.“We believe that it is something that can only act as an incentive to other illegal immigrants to seek to enter the country,” said John Keefe, a spokesman for Eurotunnel. “We had hoped the authorities would use the full force of the law as a dissuasive measure” against others who seek to enter Britain illegally through the tunnel.
It is illegal under the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees to prosecute asylum seekers for irregular entry into a country of sanctuary, and Britain has been criticized for using the 19th-century law about railway carriages to charge Mr. Haroun. At the same time, Mr. Haroun did not choose to seek asylum in other, safe European countries, like France. It is illegal under the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees to prosecute asylum seekers for irregular entry into a country of sanctuary, and Britain has been criticized for using the 19th-century law about railway carriages to charge Mr. Haroun. At the same time, Mr. Haroun did not choose to seek asylum in other safe European countries, like France.
Mr. Haroun had traveled through North Africa and sailed across the Mediterranean before walking across Europe to get to Calais. He climbed various fences to enter the tunnel, setting off alarms that caused rail traffic to be suspended for passenger and freight trains for more than two hours.Mr. Haroun had traveled through North Africa and sailed across the Mediterranean before walking across Europe to get to Calais. He climbed various fences to enter the tunnel, setting off alarms that caused rail traffic to be suspended for passenger and freight trains for more than two hours.
“We’re delighted that it’s reached this point and we’re hoping the case will be thrown out,” said Kate Adams of the nongovernmental group Kent Refugee Help, which has supported Mr. Haroun in prison and is providing him with a place to live.“We’re delighted that it’s reached this point and we’re hoping the case will be thrown out,” said Kate Adams of the nongovernmental group Kent Refugee Help, which has supported Mr. Haroun in prison and is providing him with a place to live.
A spokesman for the Home Office declined immediate comment. A spokesman for the Home Office declined to make an immediate comment.