The government has partially lost a bid to keep certain parts of two internal documents about Rwanda secret as part of a legal challenge to a controversial immigration policy.

This week’s High Court hearing concerned comments made by an official at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, who was asked to review a draft Home Office document on Rwanda’s asylum system and human rights issues.

The foreign, commonwealth and development affairs office sought permission to withhold 10 extracts on the grounds of public interest immunity. However, Lord Justice Lewis ruled that six extracts, save for certain words or sentences, should be made available for the purposes of the legal challenge.

Lewis said he recognised that there is a ‘strong public interest’ in not undermining international relations with a friendly state. ‘Nonetheless, that consideration is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring access to relevant information in this litigation and by the extent to which the information is already in the public domain.’

However, he granted some of the government’s claims for public interest immunity because the harm to the public interest that would occur as a result of disclosure outweighed any other interest such as the administration of justice or open justice principle.

The High Court is expected to hear a legal challenge to the government’s controversial Rwanda immigration policy on 5 September. Lewis stressed that he expressed no view on the merits of any of the claims for judicial review.

A government spokesperson said: 'Rwanda is a safe and secure country with a track record of supporting asylum seekers. We have a strong relationship with the Rwandan government and are proud to be working together to deliver on this world-leading Migration and Economic Development Partnership with them – we remain committed to implementing the policy, which will help break the business model of criminal gangs and save lives.'

 

This article is now closed for comment.