Afghans exposed in huge MoD data leak could get thousands in compensation
The Afghans, whose details are exposed to data leakage of a large Ministry of Defense, are at risk of up to 100,000 people.
When a mode official sent E -mail to a secret database to his reliable Afghan contacts in February 2022, 18,700 Afghan’s names and contact information violated.
The GAF, which was discovered only by the government in August 2023, caused the safety in the UK as a part of a secret operation, about 16,000 Afghan, causing the fears they would be targeted by the Taliban.
The database included the details of the Afghan applicants to the re -settlement scheme of MOD, and the discovery of the leak led to an unprecedented super -junion, prevented the press and prevented any debate about its existence for about two years.
Although approximately 3,700 principals shared, although the data shared, a shelter will be given in the UK, a review assigned by the government will not be assisted after it is not possible to “only be a targeting justification to be in the data set”.
Now, hundreds of people have registered in compensation requests against mode through violation. A claim is managed by Leigh Day, who represents at least 70 people and receives new plaintiffs every day, and estimates that each of its customers can receive thousands of pounds in compensation.
Leigh’s partner Sean Humber said: “The precautionary measure was only a week ago, but when they realized that the personal data of the affected were explained without knowledge or consent, this claim is still at an early stage.
“We expect the level of compensation to be thousands of compensation, but it is likely to change the exact amount and will probably be higher for those who stay in Afghanistan.”
Baleings Law, a Manchester -based company that requests a right, is reported to have more than 1,000 customers. Data Protection President Adnan Malik claimed that his customers would receive at least five figures ”.
Compensation allegations usually settled before reaching the court, but the mode will already fight against “any legal action or compensation”. Furthermore, 265 Afghan, who was affected by a smaller data violation in 2021, offered £ 4,000, but will not give proactive payments to the affected Afghans.
An independent case worker, who supports re -settlement applications, said, “For people whose details are violated but no hope to be appropriate for re -settlement in the UK, a payment of compensation will allow them to change their passports and visas in another country or internal Afghanistan.
“Although the government claims that we have no obligation to evacuate every family affected by the data violation, it has a maintenance task to give them tools to improve the safety of their situation.”
Refugee Aid Network Afghanistan Advisor Sarah Fenby-Dixon said, “Many members of the former Afghan security forces will be useful for families because they think they will not work for the fear of being identified.
A spokesman for a defense ministry said: “These will firmly defend the hypothetical claims and any legal action or compensation.
“Independent Rimmer Review concluded that being in the electronic table is not a justification for an individual to target an individual, and this is the foundation that the court has removed the supervision of this month.”
