Soldier in Congo kills 13 people, including his wife, after son’s burial takes place without him

Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - LONDON: A female Afghan judge has won a legal battle against the British government after she was refused entry to the UK, the Guardian reported on Sunday.

The 53-year-old judge, known only as Yosra, had fled to Pakistan in 2021 with her adult son where they were in hiding. 

For two decades, Yosra held several senior roles and presided over cases involving Taliban members in crimes such as murder, kidnapping, violence against women, rape, terrorism offenses and conspiring against the Afghan government.

The judge and her son were told they were eligible for resettlement under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy, but the Home Office initially refused to grant them permission to enter the UK. Her lawyers lodged an appeal.

The two have now been accepted into the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme and recently arrived in the country, where they were reunited with British relatives, the Guardian reported on Sunday.

The case could pave the way for many other vulnerable Afghans hiding in Pakistan who are eligible for one of the UK resettlement schemes, but have not been allowed to enter the country.

“We are overjoyed to finally be with our family in the UK,” Yosra told the newspaper. 

“The last almost two years have been the most gruelling time we’ve ever been through. Our initial hope to be granted a visa to come to the UK over time turned into hopelessness and despair

“In Pakistan, the fear for our life, and the restrictions we faced as a result, placed an enormous burden on us mentally and emotionally. 

“We only left the small apartment our family in the UK rented for us to go buy groceries or see the doctors.

“Two days before we flew to the UK, our apartment block got raided by police to arrest Afghan refugees — luckily, we were out at the doctor’s at the time. 

“Now that we are finally safe in the UK, we so much enjoy being able to walk around safely and freely, sitting in our family’s garden and feeling just peace around us, and sleeping quietly and comfortably, knowing next day we will wake up in our safe new home.”

A government spokesperson told the Guardian: “While we don’t comment on individual cases, we remain committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan, including female judges, and so far have brought around 24,500 people to the UK. 

“We continue to work with like-minded partners and countries neighboring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and to support safe passage for eligible people.”