Alarm Regarding UK's Proposal to Prohibit Asylum Applications by Illegal Entrants is Voiced by UN Rights Chief
Rishi Sunak's asylum plan has the UN Rights Director "Deeply Concerned."
The British Tory administration intends to ban all asylum
claims filed by unauthorized immigrants and send them someplace else, like
Rwanda, in an effort to deter thousands of migrants from crossing the Channel
in tiny boats.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for His Rights, highlighted on Wednesday his grave worries over a proposed draught bill by the British Tory government to exclude asylum applications by anybody entering the country unlawfully.
To stop thousands of migrants from traveling over the
English Channel in tiny boats, the proposed rule would relocate any
unauthorized entrants to another nation, such as Rwanda.
Turk has added his voice to the chorus of worries raised
by the UN agency for refugees and other human rights organizations. According
to him, the new rule would enable UK authorities to imprison and expel anyone
who enters the country through a small boat to cross the English Channel, forbid their subsequent re-entry, and stop them from requesting British
citizenship. He cautioned that such a broad prohibition would go against UK
duties and be contrary to international human rights and humanitarian law.
Mr. Turk also brought up additional rights that the
legislation might violate, including the right to an individual assessment, the
prohibition of collective expulsions, and refoulement, which is the practice of
returning someone to a nation where they might be subjected to torture or other
cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment.
According to him, regardless of their immigration status
or method of arrival, all persons who are obliged to leave their place of
origin in order to find safety and dignity elsewhere are entitled to the full
protection of their human rights. Such basic rights could be violated by the
proposed law.
Mr. Turk condemned the proposed draught law and stressed
the significance of upholding international commitments to refugees and
migrants as well as human rights.
