Government practices violate its obligations on asylum seekers
Government practices violate its obligations stemming from the UN Law of the Sea, the European Convention on Human Rights and a number of European legislations
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 8th September 2020, Nicosia
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) yesterday pointed out to the government that its practice of intercepting refugee boats is contrary to international law and the UN Refugee Convention, which explicitly prohibit the refoulement and mass deportation of potential refugees. Furthermore, these practices violate the Republic of Cyprus’ obligations stemming from the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the European Convention on Human Rights and a number of European legislations. These are self-evident issues of moral and democratic order. The government must take seriously into account the fact that the last thing the Republic of Cyprus needs is to find itself accused by international organizations and European institutions of violations of international law, the Law of the Sea, international and European conventions.
Law on asylum demands that each individual’s application be examined separately and that he/she be granted protection if there are, of course, good grounds verifying persecution in his/her country. However, if boats are intercepted at sea, then how will the Republic of Cyprus, in addition to the obligation to rescue, fulfill its legal and moral obligation to examine applications and offer asylum to those in need? If the government has decided not to implement what is obligatory by international law and international conventions, it must say so fully aware of the legal and political consequences of doing so.
The Republic of Cyprus needs a modern and effective asylum system based on international law, international conventions and the European obligations which bind our state on asylum, human rights and solidarity with those in danger. It is time for the government to at long last confront the rings that exploit the asylum system in order to promote the exploitation and modern slave trade of foreign nationals.
Finally, the hypocrisy of the EU and its ruling circles, who with their policy are trapping refugees in the member states of the southern Mediterranean, is highlighted, given that the Dublin Regulation obliges the first country of arrival of a refugee to examine his/her application. AKEL is the force that is asserting in Cyprus and the European Parliament the abolition of the Dublin Regulation and implementation of a system to accommodate refugees across all EU member states, depending on the population and capabilities of each one.
