Shirley Williams: We must defend the champions of democracy

From a speech to the Centre for Reform by the Liberal Democrat peer

It is vital for the prospects of democracy that genuine asylum-seekers are not denied asylum. When brave men and women like the leaders of East Timor and the opposition politicians in Zimbabwe are prepared to risk their lives in defence of human rights and democracy, how can we possible justify deporting them? Yet that is exactly what we have done. If democracies do not defend their champions, who will?

I suggest there should be a temporary UNHCR passport, issued to those the Commission regards as bona fide refugees, and based on data known to the Commission and the European Union. EU embassies would be asked to keep records of those who have played active roles in defending human rights, in trying to establish democratic institutions and in combating corruption. All of them are at risk in dictatorships or crumbling states.

Such records would not in themselves entitle someone to asylum status, but would constitute a prima facie case for full consideration of the asylum-seeker's case, and be one basis for issuing a UNHCR passport. In other words, people holding a UNHCR passport, based on evidence of activity likely to lead to a genuine fear of persecution, would not be fast-tracked or deported until their cases had been fully considered.