As new reports of massacres and famine emerge from the conflict in Sudan, Egypt seems poised to adopt a new asylum law that will threaten access to protection for those desperately fleeing the conflict while enabling their detention and refoulement without consideration of individual needs. […]
Refoulement
South Africa: Submission Concerning Arbitrary Detention and Other Violations of the Human Rights of Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers
Human Rights Committee, 142nd Session List of Issues Prior to Reporting CONTENTS Introduction and information about the authors Background and context Issues for consideration by the Committee ahead of the adoption of the LOIPR Arbitrary and summary arrests of asylum seekers and refugees at Refugee Reception Office (‘RROs’): (Article 9,10,12) Detention of children in immigration […]
Iraq Summarily Deporting Refugees
Numerous news outlets and human rights groups have in recent months reported on Iraq’s increasing detention and deportation of Syrian refugees, in a breach of its non-refoulement obligations. Deportees have included registered asylum seekers with UNHCR documents as well as people with valid Iraqi residence permits. Reports also suggest that there are growing public calls […]
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review
CONCERNING ISSUES RELATED TO IMMIGRATION DETENTION AND MIGRANT RIGHTS SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE 4TH CYCLE As discussed in more detail below (see section 8), the above-named civil society organisations urge Member States of the UH Human Rights Council to support the following recommendations for of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 4th Cycle of the […]
Ghana: Expelling People Fleeing Conflict in Burkina Faso
Despite calls from UNHCR and several rights groups to cease unlawful expulsions of people escaping the conflict in Burkina Faso, Ghana continues to detain and deport refugees fleeing that country’s spiralling conflict with jihadist groups. The Sahel Refugee Crisis and its Effects on Northern Ghana Since 2022, with the escalating jihadist conflict affecting the Sahel, […]
South Africa: Challenging Abusive Detention Practices in Court
Refugee rights groups are pursuing legal action against South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs in response to what it claims are unlawful arrests, detentions, and deportations of new asylum applicants. They denounce these practices as a violation of human rights, the country’s Constitution, and international law, including the principle of non-refoulement. A coalition of NGOs […]
An EU-Lebanon Refugee Deal Amidst An Unprecedented Crackdown on Refugees
The EU’s recently signed deal with Lebanon to provide financial assistance for hosting refugees and boosting border security comes as Lebanese authorities pursue an “unprecedented” crackdown targeting Syrian refugees. Human rights groups fear that the deal will keep refugees out of Europe while facilitating their deportation to Syria, in violation of human rights obligations. In […]
Egypt: Detaining and Refouling Sudanese Refugees Fleeing Spiralling Conflict in Sudan
There are increasing calls for Egypt to stop its summary detention and deportation of Sudanese who are fleeing the escalating crisis in their country, as well as growing pressure on the European Union to take steps to prevent its aid to the country from being used to violate the rights of refugees. The conflict in […]
Urgent Appeal on the Detention and Refoulement of Sudanese Refugees in Egypt
With the escalating conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and opposition paramilitary forces entering its twelfth month, the humanitarian crisis in the country continues to deteriorate, with important spill-over effects into neighbouring Egypt. As large numbers of Sudanese refugees have entered Egypt, Egyptian authorities have responded by ramping up arrests, arbitrary detentions, pushbacks, and […]
Reports of Refoulement in Kyrgyzstan Amidst Fears of Shrinking Asylum Space
In December, UNHCR expressed “grave concern” at the disappearance of an asylum seeker in Kyrgyzstan and his refoulement to his country of origin. Similar incidents have been reported in recent years, with rights observers also decrying the country’s shrinking asylum space. According to UNHCR, on 16/17 October an asylum seeker was arrested by security services […]
