The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has criticized the planned British asylum law as a breach of international law. “It goes against the UK’s obligations under the International Refugee Convention,” UNHCR’s UK representative, Vicky Tennant, told Sky News today.
“We are very concerned that this sets a global precedent and (…) effectively wipes out the right to asylum in the UK for almost all refugees.” Tennant stressed that the focus must be on the asylum system so that applications can be processed quickly.
The right to asylum should be undermined
At the beginning of next week, Parliament in London will again debate the controversial law. It provides for the detention of all undocumented people entering the UK, regardless of their background, for up to a month.
They are then to be deported to their homeland or – if that would be too dangerous – to Rwanda or another country. The right to apply for asylum should be taken away from them.