Hope and fear as tourists trickle back to Kashmir town after attack    Spain and Portugal scramble to restore power as officials chase cause of outage    Israel spy chief to step down after row with Netanyahu exposes deepening rifts    Saudi, Omani foreign ministers visit Rub' Al-Khali border crossing    From his own resources... Luminous lessons in leadership and humanity    Commerce Ministry recalls 6,500 Genesis cars due to risk of fire    Royal Institute of Traditional Arts implements Saudi-Chinese cultural exchange program    Localization in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%    Logistics park for vehicles worth SR300 million to be set up at Dammam port    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Prince Sultan University launches first bachelor's program in language and media    Putin announces three-day Russian ceasefire in Ukraine from 8 May    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN expert urges UK to halt transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 18 - 06 - 2022

A UN human rights expert on Friday urged the United Kingdom to halt its controversial policy of transferring some asylum seekers to Rwanda and expressed serious concern that the two country's asylum partnership arrangement violates international law, and risks causing irreparable harm to those seeking international protection.
"There are serious risks that the international law principle of non-refoulement will be breached by forcibly transferring asylum seekers to Rwanda," said Siobhán Mullally, the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children.
"People seeking international protection, fleeing conflict and persecution, have the right to seek and enjoy asylum — a fundamental tenet of international human rights and refugee law," she said.
The Special Rapporteur welcomed urgent interim measures by the European Court of Human Rights that grounded a flight earlier this week, due to transfer a small group of asylum seekers to the central African nation.
Increased risk of exploitation
"Transferring asylum seekers to third countries does nothing to prevent or combat human trafficking, in fact it is likely to push desperate people into riskier and more dangerous situations," Mullally said. "Rather than reducing trafficking in persons, it is likely to increase risks of exploitation."
The Special Rapporteur expressed concern that the arrangement fails to safeguard the rights of asylum seekers who are victims of trafficking and seeking protection in the United Kingdom. These victims and persons at risk of trafficking could be transferred under the arrangement, she said.
'Inadequate safeguards'
"There are inadequate safeguards to ensure that victims of trafficking or persons at risk of trafficking are identified, given assistance and ensured effective access to international protection. They risk further victimization and trauma by being transferred to a third country," added the Special Rapporteur.
"I am also concerned that there are insufficient guarantees against risks of trafficking or re-trafficking for those who may be denied asylum, or arbitrarily removed to another state from Rwanda".
Mullally echoed concerns by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees about difficulties that arise in disclosing traumatic experiences — such as trafficking — in screening interviews for asylum seekers, usually conducted shortly after arrival.
Under the arrangement, UK authorities will conduct an initial screening before deciding on whether an individual may be transferred.
The independent expert said the initial screening was not sufficient to identify and recognize the specific protection needs of asylum seekers, including victims of trafficking.
Previous human rights concerns
The Special Rapporteur has previously raised her concerns regarding the Nationality and Borders Bill, and its potential adverse impact on the human rights of victims of trafficking.
She has also repeatedly raised concerns with the international community, about the increasing tendency to place migration within a criminal law enforcement paradigm.
"Restrictive migration-related measures are presented as part of efforts to combat organized crime, including trafficking in persons, regardless of how the measures may affect the human rights of migrants and trafficked persons," the UN expert said.
Make migration safer
She urged States to expand pathways for safe, orderly and regular migration without discrimination, in order to combat trafficking in persons.
Resettlement programs, family reunification measures and provision of humanitarian visas were more effective ways to prevent trafficking of those fleeing persecution and conflict, the Special Rapporteur said.
She called on all States to uphold their international obligations regarding the principle of non-refoulement in international law, which guarantees that no person should be returned to a country where they could face irreparable harm.
"We must not allow the objective of combating human trafficking to be misused, in an attempt to undermine the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution, and the principle of non-refoulement", she concluded.
Special Rapporteurs report to the Human Rights Council and operate in their individual capacity. They are not UN staff and are not paid for their work. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.