A refugee was left "humiliated" after being told that a free rail travel for refugees scheme "wasn't for him".
Raman was unable to board a train from Swansea to Barry after a Transport for Wales (TfW) worker asked him to produce all of his documentation from the Home Office, reports WalesOnline.
The 32-year-old was apparently told he wasn't entitled to the scheme because he had arrived in the UK in August 2020 - even though he says he was only given refugee status in March the following year.
The same month, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford unveiled a plan "provide free travel for all refugees", in what he described as "another action which shows Wales is a place of safety and sanctuary for those who need our help."
Raman, an Iranian Kurd, said: "They just decided and refused me. Why treat people like this? I walked 45 days straight to get to this country, mostly at night, through forests and mountains. I was afraid of seeing people, seeing car, scared of barking of dogs and other things.
"I still get traumatised about it. It was a nightmare. All to get here so I can sanctuary. When she said it is only for Ukrainians I though ‘I am sorry my eyes are not blue or my hair blond’. They probably would never be able to walk in my shoes for a minute. They probably couldn't even imagine what I've been through, to then treat me like this now?”
He added: "I don't need compassion. I just need some professional behaviour."
Raman, who fled Iran after officials raided his house and receives £40.85 a week from the UK Government, was travelling for work experience at the time and said he could not afford the train ticket.
He was denied entry despite reaching out to TfW beforehand to check that he was eligible for the scheme, with the company responding: "The Welsh Government have confirmed that this offer will be extended to all refugees."
Raman said: “If the Welsh Government wants to be a nation of sanctuary they need to be clear about who can use this scheme. I am lucky that my employer was understanding, others would have lost their job when they hadn’t turned up.
"The Welsh Government need to educate people implanting the scheme what the difference is between an asylum seeker and somebody who has been granted refugee status.”
Lawyer and civil rights campaigner Hilary Brown commented: “So if the Welsh Government or any government put such policies in place, they have to be absolutely clear about who can access such benefits. The application of the scheme shouldn’t be at the discretion of individual Transport for Wales employees.
“When it comes down to discretion that can be interpreted and it can be influenced by people's views whether they are discriminatory, racist or something else.
“So one minute, you've got the Welsh Government coming out saying all refugees, and then they're saying Ukrainian refugees. When it is open to misinterpretation, people like Raman, get left behind. And this scheme was certainly meant to support refugees for six months in 2022. To enable them to go for work experience and job offers.
“My concern about what happened to him is, whoever this person was who told him to bring in his immigration papers, are they qualified to interpret the documentation granting refugee status. You can’t infer anything from that document anyway without understanding the Welsh Government’s policy.”
A Transport for Wales spokesman said: “We’re proud to support people seeking refuge who need to use our services, including offering free travel for those who have recently entered the country and setting up arrival hubs at Cardiff Central and Wrexham General. We are currently working with our colleagues in Welsh Government to evaluate and improve this scheme.
“We’re very sorry for any distress caused to the customer. We take any allegations of racism very seriously and we’ll carry out a full investigation with our station management team.”
Mirror Online has contacted the Welsh Government for comment.
