CIPBRA

CILD is proud to host this collaborative pro bono legal project with the support of four international law firms. The Italian Pro Bono Collaboration for Afghan Refugees (CIPBRA) focuses on providing pro bono legal assistance towards the security and protection of vulnerable Afghan refugees seeking sanctuary in Italy.

The effects of the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 are still being felt and the resumption of power by the Taliban continues to create a dangerous situation for vulnerable groups. The possibility for safety for these groups in Afghanistan continues to disintegrate with no indications of recovery, leading to continued migratory flows from Afghanistan towards European countries, including Italy.

The escalation of violence in the months since the Taliban resumed control has had a dramatic impact on the civilian population, with over 2,100 civilians killed and over 3,500 wounded, most of whom are women and children. IOM Afghanistan has numbered the people affected by the crisis at over 5.8 million and close to two years after the return of the Taliban, the IOM estimates that the majority of the Afghan population is now in need of humanitarian assistance and Afghans, and in particular women and girls, are facing increasing vulnerabilities and protection risks.

The Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD) continues to receive several requests from Afghan people who need legal assistance to be granted sanctuary in Italy, the majority of which are from people who would be considered particularly at risk (women and human rights activists). These refugees urgently need help as their lives continue to hang in the balance.

In response, the four above-mentioned international law firms and CILD united to deliver the CIPBRA initiative, aimed at providing pro bono legal advice and representation to Afghan asylum seekers seeking to access and settle in Italy. Some have been and will be reunified with family members but all hope for the humanitarian assistance and care they should be afforded as refugees – the importance of which has been highlighted recently.

The CIPBRA project aims to provide pro bono legal advice and representation mainly to Afghan citizens in need of protection and seeking to enter and settle in Italy. In order to protect the right to family unity, out-of-court and in-court counselling was provided in
judicial advice on family reunification. In particular, as regards the administrative phase, our team has intervened with the Prefectures and Italian Embassies to speed up the time taken to issue the nulla osta and visa for family reasons.

In court, ordinary appeals were lodged against the refusal of the nulla osta or visa and, above all, against the or visa and, above all, support was provided to relatives of Afghan citizens who encountered obstacles in accessing the encountered obstacles in accessing the Embassy for the formalisation of visa applications for family reasons by filing emergency appeals.

In addition, for some citizens still residing in Afghanistan or neighbouring countries in danger of death, a humanitarian visa was requested in accordance with Article 25 of Reg. 810/2009.

Finally, Afghan asylum seekers residing in our country were supported throughout the procedure for the recognition of international protection, from the phase of submitting the application/compilation of the C3 to the hearing before the Territorial Commission.

MEDIA CONTACT

For further information on the Rule 39 Initiative please contact rule39initiative@cild.eu and for further information on the Italian Pro Bono Collaboration for Afghan Refugees (CIPBRA) please contact CIPBRA@cild.eu.