The Council of Europe expressed concern on Thursday 21 October about the
"multiplication"
of
"human rights violations against refugees"
and called on its member states to oppose
"attempts at legalization. »
Pushbacks at the borders.
"It is time for European governments to put an end to any legislative or political initiative which would lead to an attempt to normalize refoulements"
, urges Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in an official statement .
Read alsoGreece is preparing for a new influx of migrants
This declaration comes at a time when refoulements of migrants have been recorded in several member states of the European Union in recent months, in particular in Lithuania, Croatia and Greece, according to official sources or national media. The Polish parliament for its part approved in mid-October an amendment legalizing the practice of border push-backs, while the United Kingdom, which remains a member of the Council of Europe despite having left the EU, also approved a new strategy authorizing push-backs at sea, according to British media.
"Human rights violations against asylum seekers at state borders have increased at an alarming rate, in particular the denial of access to asylum and returns without individual guarantees"
, s 'worries Dunja Mijatovic.
She also reminded EU states of their duty of
“solidarity in welcoming refugees”
, arguing that the lack of mutual support created a
“powerful incentive for first-arrival countries to push back migrants”
.
Read alsoGreece: migrants left without food, according to NGOs
Earlier this month, twelve states of the European Union, including Austria, Greece, Poland and Hungary, asked Brussels to finance the construction of barriers at their borders to prevent the arrival of migrants.
They ensured that these barriers would serve
"the interests of the whole of the EU, not just the member states on the front line"
.
The Council of Europe, headquartered in Strasbourg, brings together the 47 signatory states of the European Convention on Human Rights, including each of the 27 member states of the European Union.