Campaigners' High Court bid to block government's 'unlawful' plans to send first asylum seekers to Rwanda

Campaigners' High Court bid to block government's 'unlawful' plans to send first asylum seekers to Rwanda
Efforts to secure an injunction are an eleventh-hour attempt by campaigners to stop the flight to Rwanda on Tuesday.
https://news.sky.com/story/campaigners-take-to-high-court-in-bid-to-block-governments-unlawful-plans-to-send-first-asylum-seekers-to-rwanda-12630938


I came to Britain to escape dangers in Rwanda – I’m shocked Priti Patel wants to send vulnerable people there
The Independent
32 minutes ago
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/priti-patel-rwanda-scheme-asylum-seekers-b2098259.html


Scottish Episcopal Church leader condemns Rwanda deportations during meeting in Edinburgh
Edinburgh News
20 hours ago
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-episcopal-church-leader-condemns-rwanda-deportations-during-meeting-in-edinburgh-3726482

Home Office misled refugees about UN involvement in Rwanda plans, court told
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/10/home-office-misled-refugees-about-un-involvement-in-rwanda-plans-court-told

Asylum seekers resettled in Rwanda under EU scheme abandoned to poverty
Refugees tell the Telegraph there is not enough food, housing, medical services and other basic necessities
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/asylum-seekers-resettled-rwanda-eu-scheme-abandoned-poverty/?fbclid=IwAR307DeHM6XzSLu7Uru95A-jjScJ5z_BtqAbOQfsTPMdYP7nF5jurMamwWU

Asylum seekers in Rwanda have said they have been left in a “traumatising” poverty-stricken limbo for years, barely able to afford clothes and constantly in fear of the country’s brutal security forces.
Police keep a watchful eye on the centre, refusing independent journalists access just in case one of the refugees inside says something damaging to Rwanda's carefully crafted image as Africa's 'miracle' nation.
Refugees tell the Telegraph there is not enough food, housing, medical services and other basic necessities.

Why are asylum seekers being sent to Rwanda and how many could go?
Published1 hour ago
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-61782866

Rwanda asylum flight cancelled after 11th-hour ECHR intervention
First flight to Rwanda grounded after lawyers make successful emergency application
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/14/european-court-humam-right-makes-11th-hour-intervention-in-rwanda-asylum-seeker-plan

Last night, at the 11th hour, five men were stopped from boarding a flight to Rwanda.
In the morning, seven had been expecting to be on the plane. Through the day, four of those seven made individual claims to the British courts to stop them being forcibly sent. Three more men had their deportations stopped by an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
This meant there was no deportation to Rwanda yesterday.
The ECHR gave four main reasons for its decision:
- The Evidence from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees that asylum seekers in Rwanda would not have access to a fair and efficient process to determine their asylum claim.
- That the UK courts had acknowledged that this evidence raised very serious issues, even though they decided not the stop the removal.
- That enforcing human rights in Rwanda would be difficult as Rwanda is not part of the European Convention on Human Rights.
- That there is no legally-enforceable way of ensuring someone would be returned to the UK if the policy was found unlawful.
Because of this, the ECHR was satisfied that there was a real and imminent risk of severe and irreversible harm, and so it ordered that the individuals should not be removed from the UK.
This was a great relief for us, for the individuals concerned and for their families. However, it is by no means over yet. The important hearing is the one in July.
In July we will go to court again for the court to decide whether the Rwanda policy itself is lawful. This will be an incredibly important decision for many refugees, and for the future of the UK.
We think this policy is utterly barbaric and, given there are more humane and effective alternatives available, a stain on our nation’s history.
If the Government truly wanted to stop people smugglers and save lives they would give other refugees visas to cross the Channel in a similar way to Ukrainians. With these visas, refugees could then claim asylum on arrival in the UK. This would put people smugglers out of business overnight.
We have not seen any Ukrainians getting in small boats or paying people smugglers, so we know this could work. Right now people are coming anyway, but there is no control and they are taking dangerous risks. Visas would mean we know exactly who is coming. People smugglers would no longer make money.
This is not about numbers. Now, between Ukrainians and Hong Kong, we are taking ten years worth of Channel refugees in one year.
And it’s not because the refugees are illegal, either. There’s a mountain of evidence that Channel migrants are genuine refugees.
Last night’s news was a life saving reprieve for those seven men and their families. Five are victims of torture or trafficking. Two are married. One has extreme PTSD due to previous trauma. One has a son in Carlisle.
They should never have been put through the hell of the last few days. We must remember that every single refugee is a victim of the worst things on this planet. They need our help and our compassion as human beings. Using them as political pawns is unforgivable.
Our lawyers are working hard to get them released. But we know the Government will work harder than ever to deport more people just like them.
Last night was the culmination of dedicated people working long days and nights with no breaks or weekends. We are incredibly proud of our volunteers, some of whom are refugees themselves. This will be a long hard fight. You can support their work here: bit.ly/c4caccess

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Lord Geidt gives more details on why he quit as Boris Johnson's ethics adviser
Sky News
https://news.sky.com/story/lord-geidt-gives-more-robust-account-of-why-he-quit-as-boris-johnsons-ethics-adviser-12635816


Geidt doubles down on claims No 10 wanted to break international law
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/17/lord-geidt-claims-no-10-wanted-break-international-law-boris-johnson-ethics

Government’s Rwanda asylum policy is ‘absolutely shameful’, says Lady Amos
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/17/government-rwanda-asylum-seeker-policy-lady-amos


Boris Johnson Rwanda deportations of migrants 'dishonouring God' says Moderator
Daily Record
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-rwanda-deportations-migrants-27263349

Refugees previously despatched to Rwanda now in Europe
By Daisy Walsh
BBC World Service
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-61882542

Liz Truss government shelves Bill of Rights – but vows to carry out human rights overhaul
Ex-justice secretary Dominic Raab’s bill described as ‘a mess’ by Truss camp
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liz-truss-bill-human-rights-b2161776.html