ECRE, CEAR, and Amnesty International have released a joint statement urging EU governments to respect refugee rights as efforts are made to strengthen Frontex.
“Bjarte Vandvik, ECRE Secretary General said: ‘States have a legitimate right to control their borders, but this is not an excuse to ignore the fact that persons fleeing war or persecution are entitled to protection under international, European and national laws. As Frontex is being strengthened, its operations need to be monitored to ensure that human rights are respected’.”
“Regardless of where border controls take place and of who implements them, methods to prevent unauthorized entry must leave room for the identification of persons in need of international protection so they are not returned to any country where they will face persecution. Member States’ obligations under international and European refugee and human rights law do not stop at the physical boundaries of the EU. This responsibility is not only moral and political but also legal. EU Member States cannot abdicate their principles, values and commitments by doing outside their borders what would not be permissible in their territories.”
Click here for full statement.
MIGRANTS AT SEA 