Just days before the scheduled departures, British justice approved the controversial plan by Boris Johnson's government, to send Rwandan asylum seekers home. This was in direct contravention of the appeals of human rights organizations.
Jonathan Swift, a London High Court judge, was hearing the case urgently and stated that it was important in the public interest for the Home Secretary to be able implement immigration control orders.
Detention Action and Care4Calais, the plaintiffs, have filed an appeal. This appeal will be heard Monday, the day before a flight carrying around 30 asylum seekers to East Africa. To the dismay of the UN and refugee assistance associations, who decry an "illegal" policy. The High Court will hear another appeal from Asylum Aid, a refugee aid charity.
Sonya Sceats was the executive director of Freedom From Torture. She said she was disappointed but also stressed that the fight was far from over and promised to use all available means to end it. which she regards as a "neocolonial agenda".
The Labor opposition also decried Friday's much-criticized project as an attempt to "divert” from the political scandals that weaken Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The Conservative government is sending asylum seekers over 6,000 km from London to discourage illegal crossings of Channel. This policy recalls Australia's. More than 10,000 illegal migrants have crossed the English Channel to reach British shores since the beginning of the year. This is a significant increase from previous years which saw record numbers.
The UN voiced its disapproval of this strategy during the hearing. Me Laura Dubinsky, representing the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), stated that the UN agency was concerned by the risk of "serious und irreparable harm" to refugees returning to Rwanda and "in no way approve of the Anglo-Rwandan arrangement".
She claimed that the UNHCR was not involved in the arrangements between the UK, Rwanda and the UK, despite assertions by the Minister-of-State." She also accused the government of lying.
Care4Calais reports that more than 130 asylum seekers have been notified about their possible departure. They include 35 Sudanese and 18 Syrians, as well as 14 Iranians, 11 Egyptians, and 9 Afghans fleeing the Taliban. Mathew Gullick from the British government says that 32 migrants will be flying to Rwanda next week. More flights are expected in the future.
Boris Johnson spokesperson said that this plan was "the right approach", in particular to combat criminal gangs that exploit migrants along the French coasts, forcing them to board unsuitable boats to cross dangerously. To the UK
According to the government, asylum seekers may settle permanently in Rwanda.
The Hope Hostel in Kigali is getting ready to receive them. However, their manager stressed that it was not a prison but a hotel where residents are "free" from being detained.
