JEQ -v- Secretary of State for Defence (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtCivilHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-000429

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

In the matter of an application for judicial review

24 February 2025

Before:
Sir Peter Lane

Between:

The King
on the application of
JEQ

-v-

Secretary of State for Defence

UPON considering the claimant’s application for anonymity and abridgment of time for filing an acknowledgment of service, the other documents filed by the claimant and the defendant’s email of 21 February 2025

NOTIFICATION of the Judge’s decision

Order by Sir Peter Lane

  1. Until further order, and pursuant to CPR 39.2(4), the claimant’s identity shall not be disclosed and the claimant shall be referred to in these proceedings as JEQ.
  2. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(5), a copy of this order shall be published on the website of the Judiciary of England and Wales.
  3. There shall be no order for expedition.
  4. Any person affected by this order (or any part thereof) may apply on notice to the parties to have it set aside or varied.
  5. Costs reserved.

OBSERVATIONS

  1. I am satisfied that the position of the claimant, who is in hiding from the Taliban in Afghanistan, is such that anonymisation is necessary, notwithstanding the powerful public interest in open justice.
  2. But for the contents of the GLD email of 21 February 2025, I would have abridged time for service of the AOS. It appears, however, that the defendant has now accepted the claimant is eligible for admission to the UK, subject to certain conditions being satisfied; and that the claimant is progressing these. Should the position change, however, the issue of expedition of these proceedings can be re-visited.

Sir Peter Lane
24 February 2025