The Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Legal Affairs says on Monday Madam Justice Charles dismissed the claim by Tamjeed Ali and Saheed Mohammed on behalf of several women and children who are currently in the Al Hol refugee camp in Syria.
It says these persons were seeking to compel the State to make a decision to facilitate their repatriation to Trinidad and Tobago.
In a media release it says the court accepted the repatriation of persons from conflict/war zones, such as Syria, involve national security considerations, international collaboration of foreign immigration or intelligence agencies and diplomatic relations.
It says it held that these were matters of policy which fall within the exclusive purview of the State, since it is best positioned to treat with these complex issues and that the Court would defer to the State on these issues.
It says the Attorney General wishes to highlight the Court’s acceptance of the government’s diplomatic relations with Syria, but noted that the persons claiming to be citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are located in camps which are not controlled by the Syrian Government.
The Court further held that the women and children were detained in the Al Hol refugee camp in Syria, in circumstances outside of the control of the State and as such, their constitutional rights were not infringed by the State.
Consequently, the Court dismissed the claim and ordered the Claimants to pay the State’s legal costs.
COMMENTS