What should I do if there are indications that someone may be in need of protection, but he/she has not expressed the wish to apply?

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17 What should I do if

there are indications

that someone may be

in need of protection,

but he/she has not

expressed the wish to

apply?

Many persons who may be in need of international

protection do not actively apply for asylum. For

example, they may not know of the right or the

procedures to do so, may be victims of tracking

or may suer trauma related to persecution or

the dicult journey. In addition, persons in need

of international protection often lack information

about their rights and obligations, have relatives in

other Member States whom they hope to join, or have

been misinformed by others, including smugglers,

about their options. It is unrealistic to expect them to

have complex knowledge of the asylum and Dublin

procedures, full trust in authorities to directly raise

their fear at borders or in detention, or to know the

right words and expressions that could grant them

access to the procedure.

Provision of information is a key element in

ensuring that persons who may be in need of

international protection have eective access

to the asylum procedure and are able to make

well-informed decisions about whether to apply for

international protection or not.

Remember that it is part of your obligation to

ensure that no person, even if they have not applied

for international protection, is returned to a place

where they may face persecution, inhumane or

degrading treatment or punishment, including