The Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) finds that there is no longer a basis for a general suspension of the duty to return to parts of Iraq.
UNE suspended the duty to return on 16 June 2014 for persons who had received a final decision requiring them to return to the Iraqi provinces Al-Anbar, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Baghdad, Diyala, Kerbala and Babil. The general security situation in these provinces has now been sufficiently clarified. On this basis, UNE has today decided to reverse the temporary suspension of the duty to return to these provinces.
The decision to reverse the suspension of the duty to return to Iraq means that all persons who have previously received, or who from now on receive a final decision requiring them to return to Iraq, are obliged to leave Norway. The police can resume the implementation of forced returns to Iraq.
The fact that the suspension of the duty to return has been reversed does not mean that UNE believes it to be safe for everyone to return to all areas of Iraq. However, UNE considers that we now have an overview and knowledge of the security situation in Iraq that is sufficient to be able to make sound, individual assessments in each case.
The situation in Iraq has led to many applicants who have previously had their applications for asylum rejected requesting that UNE reconsider their cases. These cases will now be considered individually in light of the current security situation. Persons who have requested reversal and have been granted deferred implementation are permitted to stay in Norway until their cases have been reconsidered. When UNE considers the individual cases, certain applicants may be permitted to continue to stay in Norway based on general and/or individual needs or on humanitarian grounds, while others will have their decisions upheld and will still have a duty to return.