UK Jails Afghan and Sudanese Asylum Seekers for Steering Migrant Boats

A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced two asylum seekers to prison for steering migrant boats. One is a thirty two year old Afghan man and the other is a twenty seven year old Sudanese man from Darfur.

The Afghan asylum seeker was found guilty of steering an overcrowded and unsafe migrant boat across the English Channel. The boat carried more than seventy people. The incident happened on twenty seven Jaddi of last year. After fleeing the Taliban, the man had turned to YouTube videos to learn boat steering techniques.

The Sudanese asylum seeker faced similar charges for guiding a boat with over seventy passengers. This took place in the month of Hamal this year.

The sentences were issued under a new law in the United Kingdom. This law became effective from Jaddi last solar year. It allows for sentences of up to five years in prison for steering migrant boats.

The head of immigration crimes at the Crown Prosecution Service, Sarah Dainley, welcomed the convictions. Migration Minister Mike Tap also praised the outcome. They described the results as a blow to human smuggling gangs operating in the area.

Fifteen more asylum seekers have been charged under the new law in connection with similar activities.