The Rwanda bill, aimed at reducing the number of small boats crossing the Channel, has sparked controversy as human rights groups label it as inhumane and cruel. The legislation, which has finally passed the House of Lords, has raised major concerns among critics.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, has called for key clauses in the bill to be reversed. He expressed his worries about the new law, stating that it could lead to the removal of people to Rwanda without proper assessment of their asylum claims by UK authorities in most cases.
The intervention from O’Flaherty comes on a tragic day where at least five migrants, including a seven-year-old girl, lost their lives while attempting to cross the Channel on an overcrowded small boat. The bill, which faced a lengthy struggle before passing, is intended to deter people from making dangerous journeys and limit the activities of people smugglers.
Critics argue that the legislation could lead to deportations from Rwanda back to countries from which migrants had fled, violating international law. O’Flaherty also criticized the idea that ministers could choose not to adhere to rulings by the European Court of Human Rights, stating that such measures are binding and failure to comply undermines the right to individual petition guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Rwanda bill is part of a broader trend among European nations to “externalize” asylum and migration policy, a move that O’Flaherty believes poses a threat to the global system of protection for refugees. As the debate continues, human rights groups and critics are calling for a reconsideration of the bill’s provisions to ensure the protection of asylum seekers and migrants.