The United Nations human rights experts have issued a warning to airlines flying asylum seekers to Rwanda on behalf of the UK government, stating that they could be breaching human rights laws. The experts, who are part of the UN human rights council, emphasized that airlines working for the government should be aware of the legal risks involved.
The experts highlighted the risk of asylum seekers being taken to Rwanda and facing “refoulement,” which is the act of being returned to a country where they are at risk of persecution. The UK government claims that a treaty with Rwanda has led to judicial reforms that eliminate the refoulement threat, but the UN experts argue that airlines and aviation regulators could still be complicit in violating internationally protected human rights.
The three UN figures who issued the warning are Siobhán Mullally, Gehad Madi, and Allice Jill Edwards, all special rapporteurs on various human rights issues. They stressed the importance of aviation regulators, international organizations, and business actors respecting human rights, as outlined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The warning comes amidst ongoing debates and controversies surrounding the UK government’s deportation policy and its agreement with Rwanda. As the issue continues to unfold, the role of airlines in facilitating these removals is being scrutinized, with calls for accountability and adherence to human rights standards.