The Council of Europe calls on the United Kingdom not to deport migrants to Rwanda

The Council of Europe on Tuesday expressed concern about the law adopted by the UK House of Commons to start the referendum process Deportation of migrants to Rwanda The British authorities demanded that no expulsion be carried out, given the possibility that it would involve it Human rights violations And in matters of the rule of law.

Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty acknowledged in a statement that managing migration flows is “complex” for any country, but stressed that any action must Respect international standards.

He fears, as it is written in the law, immigrants who They need protection and without prior evaluation of their application Asylum, questioning the restriction of scope for affected persons to seek reparations or justice for “independent” examinations. In this regard, he pointed out that the European Convention on Human Rights, which the United Kingdom signed, guarantees The principle of non-refoulement And study potential violations.

O'Flaherty also questioned whether the reform gives British authorities scope to decide whether to comply. Preventive measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), when these are “binding”. The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has mentioned on several occasions the possibility of non-compliance with rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, which has already stopped “at the extreme” the first attempt at deportation.

For the Commissioner, the law adds to “the growing trend towards… Externalization of immigration policy And asylum in Europe,” which is a “cause for concern” to the extent that it undermines refugee rights.