Asylum seeker in Cork on 7th day of hunger strike to remain in Ireland

Nadim Hussain, an asylum seeker in a Cork direct provision centre, is on his seventh day of hunger strike, as he seeks permission to be allowed to remain in Ireland.

Nadim Hussain arrived in Ireland from India in 2018, seeking asylum after his parents were killed during anti-Muslim riots in West Bengal earlier that year. The 34 year old, who is Muslim, says his life will be in danger if he is returned to Bengal. He is currently living in the Kinsale Road direct provision centre in Cork.

In September this year, he received a letter from the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, which affirmed a recommendation from an international protection officer (so called) stating that he should be refused both a refugee declaration and a subsidiary protection declaration, under Section 46 (3) a of the 2015 International Protection Act.

He received an email, which he has shared with Hot Press, from the office of the Taoiseach on September 22nd, which read that "the Taoiseach is pursuing the issue on (Mr. Hussain's) behalf with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service."

Nadim has now gone on hunger strike, as he says that he has received no update from the Taoiseach's office or the Department of Justice as to his status, and is pleading to be allowed to remain in Ireland.

Nadim Hussain has been documenting his hunger strike on his Twitter account, which is now in its seventh day. His health has deteriorated steadily over the past few days.

He is experiencing severe stomach pains and has vomited over seven times today, he told Hot Press this evening.

"I'm not going to hospital until I get an answer, but I need medical assistance," he stated.

According to Twitter, his GP informed him that his kidneys have begun to fail, and that his condition could prove fatal within the next three days.

Nadim Hussain's case has seen major support online from the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI), the Irish Refugee Council and TDs Brid Smith and Mick Barry, among others.

"MASI are concerned for the well being of Mr Nadim Hussain, and would urge the Minister for Justice to Section 49 review process with a view of granting him permission to remain," they said this evening in a statement.

The Irish Refugee Council have also called for the same action to be taken. "We have repeatedly called for people who worked in healthcare sector during the pandemic to be offered permission to remain," they said. Nadim Hussain worked as a security guard in a hospital during the pandemic.

The Department of Justice and the Minister for Justice Heather Humphreys were contacted for this piece but have not yet responded.