The date of Monday, 5 August 2024 has been recorded in the history of Bangladesh. The movement against job reservation (for children of freedom fighters) has become so fierce that Sheikh Hasina, who was Prime Minister four times, had to resign from the post and leave the country hurriedly. Bangladeshi newspapers are writing this as the downfall of Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina is currently in India, but it is being said that soon she may take political asylum in a country like London or Finland. However, there is no clarity from Britain yet on taking refuge in London. Meanwhile, it also becomes important to know about political asylum.
What is political asylum?
Political asylum is a legal protection that a person receives from a country where he feels there is a threat to his life, liberty or security. According to the rules, if such a person is being persecuted in his own country because of his religion, caste, nationality, or affiliation to a particular group or for political reasons and he feels threatened to live there, then he can immigrate to another country. Can ask for asylum.
What has to be done to get political asylum?
To get asylum in any country, certain criteria have to be fulfilled, which are as follows-
- Documentation: The refugee has to prove that he is in real danger in his country. For this he has to apply with documents.
- Witness: Sometimes a refugee also needs witnesses who can prove his claim correct.
- Interview: The refugee is interviewed, in which he has to explain his claim in detail.
Who decides on granting political asylum?
Every country has a different process for granting political asylum. Usually, this decision is taken by the government or an independent agency. The process of obtaining political asylum can be long and complex. Every refugee’s case is different, so it is difficult to say whether someone will get political asylum or not. Political asylum is a serious issue and is looked at according to the policies and laws of different countries.
What are the rights of a person granted political asylum?
- Right to reside: A refugee gets the right to reside in the country where he has been granted asylum.
- Right to work: In many countries refugees also get the right to work.
- Right to education: Children of refugees have the right to receive education.
The process of leaving one’s own country and taking refuge in another country is quite old. Even Karl Marx took political asylum in the UK in the 19th century. Tibetan religious leader Dalai Lama came to India after crossing Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. In April 1959, India gave asylum to the Dalai Lama, when he was given asylum, he was only 23 years old. There are many more such cases, like-
1. Russian dictator’s daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva
After the death of Russian dictator Joseph Stalin in 1966, his daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva had sought asylum from India, but her application was rejected. After this he went to the US Embassy in New Delhi and asked for political asylum. After submitting her wish in writing, she got asylum in America and Svetlana remained in America till her death in 2011.
2. Iran’s ruler Muhammad Reza Pahlavi
Muhammad Reza Pahlavi was a ruler of Iran who gave himself the title of Shahanshah. He ruled from 1941 to 1979. Muhammad Reza Pahlavi was ousted from power in 1979, after which he took refuge in Egypt and Morocco. For some time he also stayed with the President of Mexico, who was also his friend. However, he could not get asylum in America. Ultimately he again sought asylum in Egypt and remained there until his death in July 1980.
3. WikiLeaks Founder, Julian Assange
Australian computer programmer Julian Paul Assange founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He had messed up many countries, especially America, by publishing leaked documents. In 2010, Sweden issued a European Arrest Warrant against him but he escaped by jumping the bail and took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. In 2012, he got asylum in Ecuador on the grounds of political persecution, which was also canceled in 2019. After the asylum was cancelled, police entered the embassy and arrested Assange. He was found guilty of breaking the Bail-Belk Act and sentenced to spend 50 weeks in jail. He is in London jail since then.
4. Edward Snowden
Edward Joseph Snowden, known as the American whistle-blower, had leaked highly secret documents of America’s National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013. He was an employee in the NSA and sensational articles were published on his leaked documents in newspapers like The Guardian and Washington Post. The US government accused Snowden of violating the Espionage Act and theft of government documents. Then Snowden fled to Moscow and stayed at the airport for more than a month. After that Russia gave him asylum by giving him a one year visa. The visa period kept increasing and in 2020 he was allowed to stay in Russia forever. In September 2022, President Vladimir Putin gave him Russian citizenship.