Alien’s passport granted to church-harboured Anna Lado

Anna Lado

print this

Sudanese woman Anna Lado, who sought refuge with the Lutheran congregations of the eastern city of Kuopio, has been granted an alien’s passport. The alien’s passport is granted for a year at a time, but in practice it is automatically renewed so long as the applicant does not commit crimes in Finland.
      The decision regarding Lado’s case was confirmed on Monday by Matti Heinonen, Branch Manager with the Finnish Immigration Service in Kuopio.
     
The Evangelical-Lutheran congregations of the city of Kuopio took Lado under their protection in July of last year, after she had received a negative asylum decision. In September the Supreme Administrative Court suspended Lado’s deportation order, until such time that it could pass a ruling on the case.
      "In practice, the alien’s passport equals permanent residency status, as long as the applicant does not err to commit crimes. Anna’s situation seems now stable, even though the Supreme Administrative Court still has not pronounced its final decision", says Lahja Pyykönen, Information Secretary at the Evangelical-Lutheran congregations of Kuopio.
     
The congregations in Kuopio justified their decision from last summer to grant Lado "refuge and protection" by saying that the Helsinki Administrative Court had not taken all related arguments into consideration when deciding on Lado’s deportation.
      Anna Lado’s sister and brother-in-law were granted asylum in Finland in 2004. A year later the sister died of cancer. Lado arrived in Kuopio two years ago to look after her small niece.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Supreme administrative court suspends deportation of Sudanese asylum seeker (14.9.2007)

Links:
  Finnish Immigration Service

Helsingin Sanomat