“Systematic” expulsions and returns of “illegal” refugees

On Thursday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called for an end to the “systematic” expulsions and repulsions of refugees and asylum seekers at Europe’s land and sea borders.

According to the “United Nations” website, there are reports that some European countries “restrict access” to asylum seekers, and the Commission urged governments to “verify this and put an end to this illegal practice.”

Deputy High Commissioner for Protection Gillian Triggs said countries whose names have not been released “returned the refugees after their arrival in the territories or territorial waters, and used violence against them at the borders.”

He added: “Ships carrying refugees are withdrawn, some are arrested after arrival and some are returned to sea.” He stressed that “the need for international protection of refugees is systematically ignored.”

He explained that “arrivals by land were detained informally and then forcibly returned to neighboring countries without considering their need for international protection.”

And Triggs added: “While states have a legitimate right to manage their borders in accordance with international law, they must also respect human rights.” “Refugee returns are simply illegal,” he added. He expressed his regret, saying that “the issue of asylum continues to be politicized and divisive despite the decline in the number of refugees.”

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the number of arrivals to the European Union continues to decline year after year.

In 2020, 95 thousand refugees arrived in the countries of the European Union by sea and land, a decrease of 23 percent compared to 2019 (from 123 thousand and 700 refugees) and 33 percent compared to 2018 (from 141 one thousand and 500 refugees).

Triggs called for “establishing independent national monitoring mechanisms to guarantee refugee access, prevent rights violations at borders and ensure accountability. There is a proposal for an independent monitoring charter in the European Union and we urge member states to support that. “

In accordance with the 1951 Refugee Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights, and European Union law, states must protect people’s right to seek asylum and be protected against refoulement, even if they enter illegally.

The commission clarified that the authorities cannot prevent the entry of people or return them automatically without conducting an individual assessment of those who need protection.