A few days before the first planned departures, the British justice system authorized on Friday June 10 the controversial government plan to send asylum seekers back to Rwanda, rejecting the appeal of human rights associations.
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London High Court Judge Jonathan Swift, who was hearing the case on an urgent basis, ruled “important in the public interest that the Minister of the Interior can implement immigration control decisions”.
Two appeals
The plaintiffs, including the Care4Calais and Detention Action associations, have appealed, which will be heard on Monday June 13, on the eve of a first flight transporting around thirty asylum seekers to the East African country, in great displeasure of the UN and refugee aid associations which denounce a policy “illegal”. The High Court is due to hear the same another appeal, brought by refugee aid charity Asylum Aid.
Sonya Sceats, executive director of Freedom From Torture, said “disappointed” but stressed that the fight was “far from over”promising to use “all available means” so that what she considers to be a “neocolonial program”.
This much criticized project was also denounced on Friday by the Labor opposition as an attempt to « diversion » in the face of political scandals weakening Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
10,000 illegal Channel crossings
By sending asylum seekers more than 6,000 kilometers from London, which recalls the policy pursued by Australia, the Conservative government intends to deter illegal crossings of the Channel, which are ever more numerous.
Since the start of the year, more than 10,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally to reach British shores in small boats, a considerable increase on previous years, which were already record highs.
During the hearing, the UN strongly condemned this strategy, through the voice of its lawyer. Representing the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Me Laura Dubinsky said that the UN agency was concerned about the risk of “serious and irreparable harm” caused to refugees sent back to Rwanda, and did not approve of “in no way the Anglo-Rwandan arrangement”. ‘UNHCR not involved in UK-Rwanda arrangement despite Minister of State’s claims to the contrary’she pointed out, accusing the government of lies.
According to the organization Care4Calais, some 35 Sudanese, 18 Syrians, 14 Iranians, 11 Egyptians but also 9 Afghans who fled the Taliban are among the more than 130 asylum seekers who have been notified of their possible departure.
Other planned flights
According to British government lawyer Mathew Gullick, 32 migrants are due to be flown to Rwanda next week with more flights expected to follow in the coming months.
Rwanda, ruled by Paul Kagame since the end of the 1994 genocide which killed 800,000 people, according to the UN, is regularly accused by NGOs of repressing freedom of expression, criticism and political opposition.
On Friday, 23 NGOs called on Commonwealth leaders to put pressure on Rwanda, which is hosting a meeting of the organization from June 20, to release critics of power and allow greater freedom of expression. expression.
“Fight against criminal gangs”
However, the British Home Office has said ” determined “ to implement his project, insisting that he is “fully consistent with international and national law”.
For Boris Johnson’s spokesperson, this plan is “the right approach, especially to tackle the criminal gangs that exploit migrants on French shores and force them into unseaworthy boats to make the incredibly dangerous crossing to the UK”.
The government has hinted that asylum seekers could settle permanently in Rwanda. At the Hope Hostel in Kigali, which is preparing to welcome them, the manager stressed that his establishment “is not a prison” but a hotel whose residents will be « free » to get out.