Justice rejects final appeals against deportation of migrants in Rwanda

The first departures are scheduled for Tuesday. A British court was considering last-minute appeals on Monday against the government’s controversial plan to send migrants who arrived illegally in the United Kingdom to Rwanda. She rejected these last-minute appeals.

Despite criticism from human rights defenders, the UN, the Anglican Church and even the British royal family, Boris Johnson’s Conservative government is determined with this project to discourage illegal Channel crossings, which do not stop rising despite its repeated promises since Brexit.

An almost empty first flight

“This appeal is dismissed,” said Judge Rabinder Singh, confirming the decision made at first instance following an urgent appeal filed by associations for the defense of refugees, including the associations Care4Calais and Detention Action which had appealed. . Even if they failed to prohibit the measure, the individual challenges launched in parallel had the effect of significantly reducing the scale: the first flight risks taking off almost empty.

“Twenty-three people had their tickets to Rwanda cancelled. Eight must still leave tomorrow, ”tweeted Care4Calais, which had called on justice to “stop this cruel and barbaric project”.

London wants to deter illegal arrivals

By sending asylum seekers more than 6,000 kilometers from London, which recalls the policy pursued by Australia, the government intends to deter illegal arrivals in the country, 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.

“Criminal groups that put people’s lives in danger in the Channel must understand that their economic model will collapse under this government,” Boris Johnson insisted on LBC radio on Monday. Among those challenging the plan in court is the civil service union PCS, which has among its members customs officers who are supposed to implement the deportations.

A “safe haven”

Stressing that the High Court plans to examine in detail the legality of the government plan in July, PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka told SkyNews on Sunday: “Imagine being told to do something on Tuesday, which in July is deemed illegal. It would be a terrible situation”.

The Rwandan Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Johnston Busingye, said in the columns of the Daily Telegraph be “disappointed” that critics of the project doubt Kigali’s ability to provide “safe haven” for asylum seekers. Under this agreement, London will initially finance the device to the tune of 120 million pounds (144 million euros). The Rwandan government said it would offer migrants the possibility “to settle permanently in Rwanda if they so wish”.

“Serious and irreparable harm”

The UN has strongly condemned this strategy, denouncing a risk of “serious and irreparable harm” for migrants. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch has also expressed its opposition to the project.

London “seeks to shift its asylum responsibilities entirely onto another country, running counter to the object and purpose of the 1951 Geneva Convention, running counter to its commitments and threatening the regime International Refugee Protection Agency,” HRW said in an open letter on Saturday.

Royalty called the project ‘appalling’

Fueling the controversy, Prince Charles, heir to the throne, privately judged the government’s plan “appalling”, the daily reported on Saturday. The Times, while he is due to attend a Commonwealth meeting from June 20 in Rwanda.

In Kigali, Prince Charles and Boris Johnson are due to meet President Paul Kagame, who has ruled Rwanda since the end of the 1994 genocide, which claimed 800,000 lives according to the UN. His government is regularly accused by NGOs of repressing freedom of expression, criticism and political opposition.