Promoting Human Rights of Refugees in Europe

#EndPushbacks

In September 2020 we launched a new cross-European partnership against illegal pushbacks at Europe's internal and external borders, on land and sea.

The End Pushbacks Partnership, consisting of 10 organisations monitoring pushbacks and advocating against border violence across Europe, is demanding accountability as part of the New Pact.

It calls on the European Commission to better hold Member States to account if they unlawfully push individuals back when crossing borders in search for protection.

Meet the members.

Read the press coverage about the launch.
 

Moria fire and an unprecedented alliance

The tragic fire in the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesvos left thousands in destitution. RRE published a joint statement which brought onboard more than 80 NGOs and frontline groups.

In parallel, RRE has joined an unprecedented alliance of organisations to launch a petition calling for the immediate evacuation of Lesvos, and drastic change to EU migration and asylum policies.

So far, it has been signed by over 150,000 people and co-signed by 425 organisations, movements, parliamentarians, Members of the European Parliament and politicians!

Sign the petition
 

Channel crossings: our submission to a UK Parliamentary Committee

We made a written submission to the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) inquiry on Channel crossings. We highlighted the need for new thinking and constructive solutions to alleviate the suffering of individuals trapped in limbo at the UK’s doorstep.

Read the submission
 

New on our blog

• Closure of the Red Cross centre in Ventimiglia
• A Youth Welfare pilot scheme launches in the UK
• "They beat us every time they get a chance": A frontline perspective on police violence towards displaced people in Calais 

As always, none of this work would have been possible without the incredible support from donors like yourself. Thank you infinitely for all of your ongoing support, and please take care.

#EndPushbacks

Today, we wanted to update you on our ongoing campaign to end pushbacks and rights violations at borders across Europe.

These pushback operations, which have grown in recent years, lead to serious human rights violations against prospective asylum seekers, and breach multiple international and European laws.

Our campaign to end these illegal pushbacks is entering a new phase. We're gathering existing evidence in the sector, tracking news coverage, and sharing our policy recommendations so that we can collectively make the case for an end to pushbacks. 

Have a look at the resources we've compiled on our website:

• Visit our campaign page
• Read our position paper (5 languages)
• Have a look at recent evidence and data
• Read our weekly news round up

Pushbacks, detention and living conditions in Italy

Our new report looks at Italy’s failure to implement its legal responsibilities around non-refoulement, detention conditions, and inhuman and degrading treatment.

We furthermore submitted evidence to the UN Committee against Torture ahead of its review of Italy, presenting our concerns over the country's implementation of Articles 3, 11 and 16 of the Convention.

In particular, we raised the alarm over Italy’s worrying record including:

• Its failure to uphold the principle of non-refoulement through summary pushbacks
• Prolonged and arbitrary detention characterised by a lack of procedural and legal safeguards
• Substandard living conditions for asylum seekers and displaced individuals in reception facilities and camps

New report: Access to asylum along the Balkan route

The formal closure of the “Balkan route” in 2016 was part of a strategy to hinder the movement of refugees through the Balkans and into Western Europe.

Despite this, over 65,000 people have entered the region since 2018, using alternative and often more dangerous routes.

Our latest report looks at access to asylum and the conditions for asylum seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

New on our blog

• We challenge narratives that frame the arrival of prospective asylum seekers to the UK by boat as a “threat”, and we ask what a more humane policy would look like.  Read the blog.
• Resuming evictions of refugees during the Covid-19 crisis is a major problem, writes Michael, a former Calais camp resident who now has refugee status in the UK. Read his blog.
• Loraine Masiya Mponela, the chairperson of the Coventry Asylum and Refugee Action Group, reflects on the challenges faced by asylum seekers and undocumented migrants during the pandemic. Read her blog.

As always, none of this work would have been possible without the incredible support from donors like yourself. Thank you infinitely for all of your ongoing support, and please take care.